title: Public school parents' perspectives of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act of 2007: findings from 2009-2011.
abstract: Annual evaluations of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act of 2007 (MHSA) were conducted from 2009-2011 among four stakeholder groups: (1) parents of public school students; (2) adolescents; (3) school officials (e.g., superintendents); (4) state-level policymakers (e.g., legislators). We examine results from the first state-wide study among a randomized sample of parents (N>3,600 per year) on childhood obesity as it related to MHSA. Parents were surveyed to determine: (1) knowledge/attitudes towards MHSA; (2) knowledge/attitudes/behaviors (KAB) that influence children's health; and (3) perceived overweight/obesity of self and child versus BMI-determined overweight/obesity. Across all three years, parents were very supportive of MHSA across a number of variables, while parents greatly underestimated obesity among self and child when compared to their BMI data. Results highlight complexities of parents' KAB that potentially influence children's health, including the MHSA. Policy implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University, MS 39762-0868, USA.
authors.forename: Linda H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Southward
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ragsdale
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buffington
authors.forename: Dorris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baggett
authors.forename: Troy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006266:Health Education / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008922:Mississippi; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010290:Parents; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires