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ERIC Number: EJ1049103
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Feb
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: N/A
Rural Middle School Nutrition and Physical Activity Environments and the Change in Body Mass Index during Adolescence
Demment, Margaret; Wells, Nancy; Olson, Christine
Journal of School Health, v85 n2 p100-108 Feb 2015
Background: For rural adolescents, schools are among the few places where environmental interventions can promote health outside of the home. The goal of this study was to assess the nutrition and physical activity (N&PA) environments of schools attended by a birth cohort and examine the association with change in body mass index (BMI) from sixth to eighth grade. Methods: Using data from adolescents of a rural New York State birth cohort (N?=?281), we used linear mixed models to identify N&PA environments associated with change in BMI. We also examined family income trajectory as a potential modifier to consider how the association between school environment and change in BMI might differ depending on income. Results: We found considerable heterogeneity in environments within and between schools. Among students with low-income trajectories, reductions in BMI z-scores were associated with school environments that promote better physical education (PE) and general (non-PE, non-sport) physical activity. Schools with better sports environments were associated with reductions in BMI for some students, but not lower-income students. Conclusions: School environments may have differing effects on students depending on their socioeconomic status. Strategies are needed to identify and address barriers that impair low-income students' access to health-promoting school resources.
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Junior High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institute of Food and Agriculture; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: 2008-38420-04825; HD 29549