Self-Efficacy and Self-Reported Dietary Behaviors in Adolescents at an Urban School With No Competitive Foods.
Over one third of U.S. adolescents are overweight. A descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the relationship between student dietary self-efficacy (SE), sugar-sweetened beverages, and low-nutrient energy-dense food consumption, and exposure to a healthy school food environment without competitive foods. The sample consisted of 292 urban, primarily African American students aged 11 to 16 years. Mantel-Haenszel χ(2) analyses revealed a significant but weak linear trend for girls between number of school meals and SE to drink less soda, χ(2)(1) = 6.882, p = .008, and between semesters attended with SE to eat more fruits and vegetables, χ(2)(1) = 5.908, p = .015. Obese students had significantly higher scores for two SE items than nonobese students, that is, plan better nutrition, χ(2)(1) = 3.998, p = .045, and eat healthy at a fast-food restaurant, χ(2)(1) = 4.078, p = .043. Further study of adolescent SE for healthy eating and school-based, food-focused obesity prevention interventions is needed.
SSM Medical Group, St. Louis, MO, USA erosenkoet@aol.com.
Eileen
E
Rosenkoetter
Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Graduate Specialty, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Deborah G
DG
Loman
D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
competitive foods; school nursing; school-based obesity prevention; self-efficacy