Physical activity and health enhancing dietary behaviors in young adults: Bogalusa Heart Study.
BACKGROUND
Obesity results from energy imbalance. This study used data from the Bogalusa Heart Study to examine relationships between the dietary and physical activity behaviors of young adults.


METHODS
One thousand one hundred ninety-one young adults (76% Euro-American, 24% African-American, 61% female) completed a food frequency questionnaire and reported the location of meals consumed. Physical activity outside of work was assessed using a 5-item Likert scale. Analyses of covariance were used to determine if dietary consumption differed by physical activity level after controlling for ethnicity, BMI, age, and gender. Regression models were used to explore two- and three-way diet, gender, and ethnicity interactions.


RESULTS
Consumption of fruit and dairy foods significantly differed (P < 0.05) by activity level with the most active group consuming 0.4 more servings per day for both fruit/fruit juices and dairy. Increased physical activity was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with decreased dietary fat. Increased physical activity was associated with increased consumption of fat among African-American males and decreased consumption of fat among Euro-American males. Euro-American females consumed less energy than the three other ethnic/gender groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased consumption of fruit, dairy foods, and reduced energy from fat were related with increased physical activity with this relationship differing by gender and ethnicity.
Jago
Russell
R
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA. rjago@bcm.tmc.edu
Nicklas
Theresa
T
Yang
Su-Jau
SJ
Baranowski
Tom
T
Zakeri
Issa
I
Berenson
Gerald S
GS
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States