title: Dietary, physical activity, and lifestyle behaviors of rural African American South Carolina children.
abstract: Overweight and obese children continue to be a growing problem, and differences exist, especially among racial and ethnic groups. Even though a poor diet and lack of physical activity are attributable factors to being overweight among children, indications exists that geographic location may also be important. In rural areas in the United States, childhood obesity is often higher than the national average. This study analyzed dietary, physical, activity, and lifestyle behaviors of rural African American children and their risk for becoming overweight. This study is a cross-sectional convenience sample of 98 students from a rural county in South Carolina in 2002. Findings showed rural female children were significantly more likely than rural male children to engage in physical activity for at least 20 minutes per day (odds ratio, 5.57; p = .0056). Given the increase in the prevalence of obesity especially among minority populations, the need exists to develop culturally appropriate nutrition and exercise interventions to assistchildren in a healthy weight loss attempt. Increased prevalence of obesity and other diseases among African Americans warrants aggressive interventions to reduce risk factors in this vulnerable population.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Partnership to Eliminate Health Disparities, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: Saundra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.forename: Crystal N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.forename: Rahnuma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: Larrell
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Juanita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowen-Seabrook
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meyer-Davis
authors.forename: Shardae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology