title: How significant is the 'significant other'? Associations between significant others' health behaviors and attitudes and young adults' health outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Having a significant other has been shown to be protective against physical and psychological health conditions for adults. Less is known about the period of emerging young adulthood and associations between significant others' weight and weight-related health behaviors (e.g. healthy dietary intake, the frequency of physical activity, weight status). This study examined the association between significant others' health attitudes and behaviors regarding eating and physical activity and young adults' weight status, dietary intake, and physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study uses data from Project EAT-III, a population-based cohort study with emerging young adults from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds (n = 1212). Logistic regression models examining cross-sectional associations, adjusted for sociodemographics and health behaviors five years earlier, were used to estimate predicted probabilities and calculate prevalence differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young adult women whose significant others had health promoting attitudes/behaviors were significantly less likely to be overweight/obese and were more likely to eat ≥ 5 fruits/vegetables per day and engage in ≥ 3.5 hours/week of physical activity, compared to women whose significant others did not have health promoting behaviors/attitudes. Young adult men whose significant other had health promoting behaviors/attitudes were more likely to engage in ≥ 3.5 hours/week of physical activity compared to men whose significant others did not have health promoting behaviors/attitudes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest the protective nature of the significant other with regard to weight-related health behaviors of young adults, particularly for young adult women. Obesity prevention efforts should consider the importance of including the significant other in intervention efforts with young adult women and potentially men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, MN, USA. mohl0009@umn.edu
authors.forename: Jerica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Berge
authors.forename: Rich
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: MacLehose
authors.forename: Marla E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Melissa N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Laska
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumark-Sztainer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D055815:Young Adult