Abstract
Purpose
National data related to physical activity (PA) and nutrition among adolescents are
needed to help develop effective obesity prevention programs. The 2010 National Youth
Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) was conducted to provide nationally
representative data on behaviors and behavioral correlates related to healthy eating
and PA.
Methods
NYPANS used a three-stage cluster sample design to obtain data representative of public-
and private-school students in grades 9 through 12 in the United States (n = 11,429).
Students completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire in their classrooms
during a regular class period. Trained data collectors directly measured the students'
height and weight at school using a standard protocol.
Results
Analyses revealed that 19.0% of students were obese and 17.8% were overweight. Students
participated in a range of physical activities during the 12 months before the survey;
prevalence ranged from 5.0% for ice hockey to 83.9% for walking. In addition, 52.5%
of students enjoyed the physical education classes they took at school. During the
7 days before the survey, 74.8% of students ate at least one meal or snack from a
fast food restaurant, with black students more likely than white and Hispanic students
to have done so. Forty-one percent of students always or most of the time have a TV
on while eating dinner at home.
Conclusions
These and other NYPANS results can be used to develop obesity prevention programs
that address specific behaviors and behavioral correlates, and target subgroups in
which behaviors and behavioral correlates related to obesity are most prevalent.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: June 24, 2013
Accepted:
May 8,
2013
Received:
February 15,
2013
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc.
