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Descriptors:
Information Needs; Public Health; Guidelines; Foreign Countries; Nutrition; Infants; Mothers; Decision Making; Information Sources; Parent Attitudes; Health Behavior

Abstract:
The majority of mothers in Ireland provide formula milk to their infants during the initial weeks postpartum; however, data are lacking on their formula feeding practices and support needs. This prospective Dublin-based observational study, which included 450 eligible mother-term infant pairs recruited and followed up to six months postpartum, aimed to advance our understanding of maternal formula feeding practices, their reasons for deciding to formula feed, sources of feeding information and perceived support needs; insights into infant formula milk consumption patterns in relation to current feeding guidelines are also provided. In summary, the vast majority of infants at six weeks were provided with formula milk (n =368; 81.8%). Positive maternal perceptions of formula feeding were among the most frequently reported reasons underlying mothers' decisions to formula feed (e.g. convenience, 17.3%). Potential public health concerns over the large formula milk volumes consumed by infants (mean 205 ml/kg/day) relative to infant feeding guidelines (150 ml/kg/day) were raised from this study. Some mothers continue to add solid foods to infant bottle feeds at six weeks (3.8%) and six months (6%), a non-recommended feeding practice posing a choking risk for infants. Crucially, this study highlights the need to provide greater support and information to mothers who decide to formula feed postpartum, including practical information on sterilisation and formula reconstitution. While breastfeeding promotion and research continues to be a public health priority in Ireland, addressing the support and information needs of mothers who formula feed, an under-represented and understudied population in the literature, also needs to be considered to ensure optimal health and safety for their infants. (Contains 5 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Physical Activities; Obesity; Information Technology; Video Games; Physical Activity Level; Eating Habits; Nutrition; Food; Health Behavior; Children; Adolescents; Marketing

Abstract:
Children and adolescents in the United States and in many countries are projected to have shorter life spans than their parents, partly because of the obesity crisis engulfing the developed world. Exposure to electronic media is often implicated in this crisis because media use, including electronic game play, may promote sedentary behavior and increase consumption of high-calorie foods and beverages that are low in nutritional value. Electronic games, however, may increase children's physical activity and expose them to healthier foods. We examine the role of electronic games in the pediatric obesity crisis and their contribution to more favorable health outcomes. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Grade Point Average; Genetics; Social Environment; Depression (Psychology); Interaction; Body Weight; Twins; Children; Environmental Influences; Correlation; Birth; Nutrition; Delinquency; Prenatal Influences

Abstract:
Numerous studies report gene-environment interactions, suggesting that specific alleles have different effects on social outcomes depending on environment. In all these studies, however, environmental conditions are potentially endogenous to unmeasured genetic characteristics. That is, it could be that the observed interaction effects actually reflect underlying genetic tendencies that lead individuals into certain environments. What is critical to move this literature forward is random environmental variation that we know is not correlated with innate characteristics of subjects. We exploit a natural experiment that randomizes a particular stressor--birth weight discordance within twin pairs--to address this challenge and ask: Do random differences in early environment (prenatal nutrition) moderate genetic effects on depression, delinquency, or GPA? Using Add Health data, the only consistently significant allele-birth weight interaction we reveal works in the opposite direction of Caspi et al.'s classic finding regarding the interaction of maltreatment with genetic variation in the serotonin transporter promoter. Less robust interactions found for "DRD2" and "MAOA" are consistent with this pattern that reverses prior findings. These results do not necessarily overturn existing research but support our methodological point that gene-environment research must address endogeneity. (Contains 6 tables, 1 figure and 9 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Interests; Unions; Voting; Nutrition; Union Members; Eating Habits; Cooperation; School Community Relationship

Abstract:
Unions serve their members' interests. But union members are also community members, and their interests go well beyond increasing pay and benefits. A local union president has found that his members are best served by participating in a community-wide coalition. Providing eyeglasses to needy students, promoting healthy eating, and increasing voter registration are just a few of the important issues they have tackled together. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Outcomes of Education; Health Education; Public Health; Action Research; Professional Education; Transformative Learning; Health Personnel; Foreign Countries; Interdisciplinary Approach; Social Change; Nursing Education; Nutrition; Dietetics; Occupational Therapy; Interviews; Focus Groups; Allied Health Occupations Education; Relevance (Education); Health; Cultural Differences

Abstract:
Transformative learning aims to awaken students to issues of injustice, and to promote their critical analysis of assumptions, beliefs and values that lead to and sustain social inequities, so that they may become agents of social change. This paper introduces the Sensitise Take Action and Reflection (STAR) framework, which encapsulates transformative learning principles, as a tool for educators to enhance student health professionals' capacity and preparedness to address health inequities they are likely to encounter in their future practice. Using an action research methodology within a three-cycle process, STAR was trialled and evaluated by an interdisciplinary team of health educators (n = 25) in an Australian university. Disciplines included: nursing, nutrition and dietetics, public health, occupational therapy and paramedic science. Data were gathered via individual interviews, focus group discussions and field notes, and were analysed inductively, with member-checking of emerging themes to ensure interpretive rigour. The results of this research suggest that STAR is easily understood by users, has relevance for health professional education, and holds promise for producing desired educational outcomes within and across health disciplines. Furthermore, this project could be considered a model for fostering inter-professional collaboration in health education, research and practice. (Contains 3 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Achievement Tests; Elementary School Students; Numeracy; Foreign Countries; Child Health; Lighting; Educational History; Socioeconomic Status; Literacy; Developing Nations; Educational Attainment; Low Achievement; Nutrition; Attendance; Childrens Literature; Family Environment; Educational Policy

Abstract:
One of the eight Millennium Development Goals is that all children in developing countries should complete primary education. Much progress has been made toward this goal, but completing primary school does not ensure that students attain basic literacy and numeracy skills. Indeed, there is ample evidence that many children in developing countries are not learning these basic skills. This raises the question: What can schools and communities do to increase the learning that takes place in schools? Sri Lanka exemplifies these issues. It has achieved universal primary completion, but many Sri Lankan primary school students perform poorly on academic tests. This paper uses unusually rich data from Sri Lanka to investigate the determinants of academic performance, as measured by achievement tests, of Grade 4 students. At the child and household level, educated parents, better nutrition, high daily attendance, enrollment in private tutoring classes, exercise books, electric lighting, and children's books at home all appear to increase learning, while hearing problems have a strong negative effect. Among school variables, principals' and teachers' years of experience, collaborating with other schools in a "school family," and meetings between parents and teachers all appear to have positive impacts on students' scores. Estimates that exclude some of the variables available in the unusually rich data yield different results, which suggests that results based on less complete data are likely to suffer from omitted variable bias. A final section provides recommendations for education policies in Sri Lanka. (Contains 10 tables and 21 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Technical Assistance; School Districts; Hunger; Nutrition; Wellness; Obesity; Environment; Federal Legislation; Child Health

Abstract:
This brief report updates data published in August 2010 from the most comprehensive, ongoing nationwide analysis of written wellness policies. It includes data from the 2006-07 through the 2010-11 school years, which were the first five years following the required implementation date for wellness policies. The major findings and trends presented identify areas where progress has been made in adopting and strengthening the written policies, as well as opportunities for improvement. New to this report are data relating to the reporting and assessment provisions required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. These data are especially relevant to USDA's (U.S. Department of Agriculture's) proposed rule for competitive foods and beverages, which was released in February 2013, and to the forthcoming proposed rule from USDA related to wellness policies. They also may help inform USDA's efforts to provide technical assistance to school districts regarding their wellness policies, which is required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. In addition, this report helps inform future policies for preventing childhood obesity and will be useful to advocates and state and local officials seeking to create a healthier school environment. This report highlights progress that has been made to implement, strengthen, and/or increase the comprehensiveness of the required wellness policy elements between school years 2006-07 and 2010-11. Consistent with prior reports, the data presented in this paper represent the percentage of students enrolled in public school districts nationwide. (Contains 4 figures and 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Intervention; Older Adults; Housing; Home Visits; Pharmacy; Public Housing; Nursing Education; Health Sciences; Service Learning; Prevention; Grants; Clinical Experience; Pharmaceutical Education; College Faculty; Partnerships in Education; Nutrition; Medical Evaluation; Cooperation

Abstract:
Interprofessional student service-learning experiences are integrated into the preventive care of older adult residents of public housing in Appalachia. Receiving a Health Resources and Services Administration grant provided the College of Nursing at East Tennessee State University the opportunity to expand interprofessional clinical experiences for students by partnering with the College of Pharmacy, the College of Clinical & Rehabilitative Health Sciences, and the local public housing authority. Select faculty from each college met and developed a plan to form student teams from all three colleges to conduct in-home comprehensive medical and nutrition assessments and medication chart reviews of high-risk older adults. Following the in-home visit, students and faculty discuss the assessment findings at planned interprofessional meetings. Students present their findings from each discipline's perspective and collaboratively set health priorities and develop intervention strategies and an inclusive follow-up plan. Excerpts from students' reflective narratives discussing the impact of the interprofessional service-learning experiences are shared. (Contains 5 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Grade Repetition; Enrollment; Foreign Countries; Nutrition; Rural Schools; Public Schools; Outcomes of Education; School Entrance Age; Grade 4; Scores; Disadvantaged Schools; Attendance Patterns; Correlation; Regression (Statistics)

Abstract:
Chile operates one of the oldest and largest school feeding programs in Latin America, targeting higher-calorie meals to relatively poorer schools. This paper evaluates the impact of higher-calorie meals on the education outcomes of public, rural schools and their students. It applies a regression-discontinuity design to administrative data, including school enrollment and attendance, first-grade enrollment age and grade repetition, and fourth-grade test scores. There is no evidence, across a range of specifications and samples, that additional calories affect these variables. The paper suggests that the focus of Chilean policy should further shift to the nutritional composition of school meals, rather than the caloric content. (Contains 10 tables and 5 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Access to Education; Teacher Effectiveness; Elementary Schools; Rural Areas; Foreign Countries; Food Service; Economically Disadvantaged; Sustainability; Equal Education; Safety; Poverty; Enrollment; Agricultural Production; Program Design; Guidelines; Program Implementation; Interviews; Observation; Delivery Systems; Educational Quality; Hunger; Nutrition; Elementary School Students; Kindergarten

Abstract:
In an effort to address social imbalances and equity in Ghana's education delivery and to achieve her Education for All (EFA) agenda, some pro-poor programmes have been introduced. Among these is the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) that aims among others, at providing safety nets for the poor, increasing school enrolment in addition to boosting domestic food production. While this programme has been implemented since 2005, there is paucity of information on the experiences of beneficiaries and implementers. The GSFP has been designed as a national programme to feed children in public kindergarten and primary schools, based on a single implementation framework. This single implementation framework does not make room for contextualization of programme implementation and allow the tapping into the knowledge base of both the school and the community in making judgments about who is really needy and who is not. Thus, the study sought to explore the experiences of beneficiaries and implementers of the programme within three rural communities in Ghana, using interviews and observations. Challenges of programme delivery, which include prolonged time spent on serving, eating and cleaning up, counter effective teaching and learning and pose a threat to education quality. There are policy conflicts, funding challenges and issues about targeting and sustainability of the programme. These give credence to the need to understand the local dynamics of poverty and how they affect demand for educational access in rural contexts. The paper finally proffers ways in which insights gained from these experiences can contribute to the current discourse on School Feeding Programmes in the context of developing economies. (Contains 1 table.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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