Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Seventh-day Adventist African American and Caucasian college students.

All age, sex, and racial groups are affected by the obesity epidemic in the United States, although disparities exist among these groups. The Seventh-day Adventists are a religious group of people who are believed to live longer and healthier lives than do their non-Adventist counterparts because they do not smoke or drink alcohol and they eat a healthier diet. This study assessed the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Seventh-day Adventist college students attending 2 private universities in the southern United States. Most students' body mass index (65.8%) was within the normal weight category, 3.7% were underweight, 20.6% were overweight, and 9.9% were obese. Body mass index > or = 25 kg/m2 was more prevalent among men and African Americans. In all ethnic subgroups, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was lower than that among non-Adventist students reported in other studies.

The effect of health and nutrition management classes on nutrition choices: a case study on diabetics in huntsville, alabama, United States.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a one-day nutrition education seminar utilizing a sample of 26 confirmed diabetics who had at least once before, participated in nutrition classes. The participants were exposed to a seminar that promoted, evaluated, and rewarded good nutrition choices in an effort to educate this group about coping with diabetes through nutrition management. A 24-hour food recall was used as a pre-test, meal plans constructed by trained graduate-level diet interns were used as the standard by which proper nutrition was judged, and participants' choices were used as the post-test evaluation. Significant differences were found between the 24-hour recall and the ideal meal plans in all of the three nutrient measured (energy, protein and fat). Participants showed a preference for personally constructed meal plans as opposed to those constructed by the interns. However, significant diet adjustments were shown in the short term. Discussion focused on the need for repeated involvement in diet interventions, and the challenges faced in changing diet habits of a group of middle-aged individuals who are even slightly obese.

Effectiveness of various nutrition education teaching methods for high school students: a case study in alabama, United States.

This study examined a nutrition education program consisting of two content sessions: food-label reading, and food pyramid guide. In each session two groups of nutrition interns utilized four teaching methods: role-play/video presentation/display, grocery store tour, overhead transparency and lecture, and power point lecture, among a group of (N = 29) ninth grade, high school students. The purpose was to determine the most effective method of delivering nutrition education to high school students. Analysis using the Kruskal Wallis One-way Analysis of Variance showed that the combination method of role-playing/video presentation/visual display was most effective in the food pyramid session (χ² = 8.13, p = .04). While this method was given the highest rank in the food-label reading session it was not statistically significant. These results show that a combination of methods classified as the teacher's style, is more effective than a style that involves a single teaching method.