title: Exploring future nurses' attitudes and beliefs related to childhood overweight.
abstract: Millions of American children enjoy good health due to public health interventions addressing childhood-related diseases; however, such gains are being compromised due to the increasing proportion of overweight or obese children. Nurses are positioned to play a pivotal role in addressing the overweight and obesity epidemic among children. This cross-sectional study examined the attitudes and beliefs of undergraduate prenursing students and students in the clinical nursing major about children who are overweight or obese. A secondary aim was to examine whether there are differences or similarities in attitudes and beliefs about children who are overweight or obese between prenursing students and students in the clinical nursing major. Findings indicated that undergraduate prenursing students and students in the clinical nursing major have negative perceptions of overweight children. However, negative perspectives varied between the prenursing and clinical nursing major students on overweight children in relation to perceptions of causative factors for children being overweight and their subsequent quality of life.
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Snethen
authors.forename: Ruth A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Treisman
authors.forename: Aaron G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Buseh
authors.forename: Sheryl T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kelber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D006801:Humans; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult