Shared Science
Assent in Research: The Voices of Adolescents
Adolescents join clinical research after investigators obtain their positive agreement or “assent.” Although intended to respect adolescents, little is known about the views of adolescents or their parents regarding assent or research enrollment decisions. This study aimed to better understand perspectives of adolescent research participants and their parents about assent and parental permission.Human Papillomavirus Vaccines: Factors That Affect Vaccine Knowledge and Delivery
Although both vaccines are designed to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, HPV2 and HPV4 have different indications. This study sought to determine HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge among providers and examine factors affecting HPV vaccine delivery.Use of the Intrauterine Device Among Adolescent and Young Adult Women in the United States From 2002 to 2010
Long-acting contraceptives, such as the intrauterine device (IUD), show potential for decreasing the incidence of unintended pregnancy. However, use among adolescent and young adult women remains low. We determined factors associated with IUD use among young women.The Health Status of Street Children and Youth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of the Literature
The health of the tens of millions of street children globally is understudied. We undertook a systematic review of the existing quantitative literature regarding the health status of street children and youth in low- and middle-income countries to summarize available knowledge, identify underexplored areas of research, and inform the future research agenda regarding the health of this population. A total of 108 articles met our inclusion criteria. Demographic data and structural factors associated with street life are summarized.Do Health and Education Agencies in the United States Share Responsibility for Academic Achievement and Health? A Review of 25 Years of Evidence About the Relationship of Adolescents' Academic Achievement and Health Behaviors
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitors health-risk behaviors of adolescents in United States, which include (1) violence; (2) tobacco use; (3) alcohol and other drug use; (4) sexual behaviors contributing to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; (5) inadequate physical activity; and (6) unhealthy dietary behaviors. We reviewed original research published in peer-reviewed journals between 1985 and 2010 to synthesize evidence about the association of adolescent health-risk behaviors and academic achievement.Prevalence of Adolescents' Self-Weighing Behaviors and Associations With Weight-Related Behaviors and Psychological Well-Being
To examine the relationships between self-weighing frequency, and weight-related behaviors and psychological well-being in a population-based sample of adolescents.“If It Tastes Good, I'm Drinking It”: Qualitative Study of Beverage Consumption Among College Students
This study examined how college students choose beverages and whether behavioral interventions might reduce their heavy consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.Family Functioning: Associations With Weight Status, Eating Behaviors, and Physical Activity in Adolescents
This article examines the relationship between family functioning (e.g., communication, closeness, problem solving, behavioral control) and adolescent weight status and relevant eating and physical activity behaviors.Changes in the Frequency of Family Meals From 1999 to 2010 in the Homes of Adolescents: Trends by Sociodemographic Characteristics
To examine secular trends from 1999 to 2010 in family meal frequency in a population-based sample of adolescents across sociodemographic characteristics.The Association of Obesity and School Absenteeism Attributed to Illness or Injury Among Adolescents in the United States, 2009
School attendance can impact academic performance. Childhood obesity-related physical and psychosocial consequences are potentially associated with school absenteeism. Thus, we examined the association between school absenteeism attributed to illness or injury and obesity among adolescents aged 12–17 years.Weight Information Labels on Media Models Reduce Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Girls
To examine how weight information labels on variously sized media models affect (pre)adolescent girls' body perceptions and how they compare themselves with media models.Eating Habits and Total and Abdominal Fat in Spanish Adolescents: Influence of Physical Activity. The AVENA Study
To evaluate the association between specific dietary habits and body fatness in Spanish adolescents, and to analyze the role of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in this association.Trends in Body Mass Index in Adolescence and Young Adulthood in the United States: 1959–2002
This study examined trends in body mass index (BMI) during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood by gender and race, using national data from the United States spanning for >40 years from 1959 and 2002. Although past research has investigated BMI trends separately in childhood/adolescence and adulthood, this study uniquely focused on the transition to adulthood (12–26 years) to identify the emergence of the obesity epidemic during this critical life-stage.The Association of Body Mass Index and Externally Perceived Attractiveness Across Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Time
Being perceived by others as unattractive is associated with negative health and social consequences. Overweight individuals may be more likely to be perceived by others as unattractive, thereby further endangering their well-being. Our objective was to determine whether body mass index (BMI) was associated with perceptions by others regarding attractiveness and whether this relationship was similar across race/ethnicity, gender, and time.Dieting and Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors During Adolescence: Associations With 10-Year Changes in Body Mass Index
Dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors are common among adolescents and questions exist regarding their long-term effect on weight status.Homophily and Contagion as Explanations for Weight Similarities Among Adolescent Friends
To determine whether weight-based similarities among adolescent friends result from social influence processes, after controlling for the role of weight on friendship selection and other confounding influences.A Pilot Study of Motivational Interviewing Targeting Weight-Related Behaviors in Overweight or Obese African American Adolescents
To pilot motivational interviewing (MI) targeting weight-related behaviors in African American adolescents with body mass index ≥85th percentile.A Multivariate Analysis of Federally Mandated School Wellness Policies on Adolescent Obesity
To evaluate the effects of school wellness policies mandated by the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents.Two Years Later: Wellness Councils and Healthier Vending in a Cohort of Middle and High Schools
To examine the association between school wellness council structure over 2 years and low-nutrient, energy-dense vending fare assessed as a food score (range: 0–7), following enactment of federal legislation.Neighborhood Environment and Body Mass Index Trajectories From Adolescence to Adulthood
To investigate whether neighborhood conditions during adolescence are associated with body mass index (BMI) extending into young adulthood.The Efficacy of the Web-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Program in Chinese American Adolescents (Web ABC Study)
To examine the feasibility and efficacy of a theory-driven and family-based program delivered online to promote healthy lifestyles and weights in Chinese American adolescents.Longitudinal and Secular Trends in Parental Encouragement for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Dieting Throughout the Adolescent Years
Parental encouragement for healthy eating and physical activity has been found to be associated with the long-term healthy habits of adolescents, whereas parental encouragement to diet has been associated with disordered eating behaviors among adolescents. However, little is known about how parental encouragement changes as adolescents grow older (longitudinal trends), or how parental encouragement has changed over time (secular trends). This study examined 5-year longitudinal and secular trends in adolescents' report of their parents' encouragement to eat healthily, be physically active, and diet.
