Publications by authors named "Amy R Mobley"

Non-prescription weight loss substances, such as supplements and herbal remedies, can be harmful. Hispanic immigrant students may be highly susceptible to these substances, especially those advertised on social media. This study was a feasibility/acceptability pilot trial of an intervention to reduce this susceptibility.

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Culinary medicine and culinary nutrition programs have emerged as innovative approaches to influencing dietary and lifestyle behavior change. These models vary in reported use of behavioral frameworks for planning purposes and attributing efficacy to current inconsistencies in format and delivery. This report aims to review current practice of behavior change theories in culinary medicine/culinary nutrition, delineate constructs that support positive outcomes, and describe future directions for translational applications in integrating the skills of chefs, nutrition educators, and medical professionals.

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  • PSE change strategies support healthy eating by improving community access to nutritious foods, complementing individual-level nutrition education.
  • The review found 48 studies on these strategies for children under 5, with most focusing on access in educational settings.
  • However, only a fraction of studies assessed children's attitudes and behaviors, and only 60% of evaluation tools were validated for reliability.
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  • Childhood obesity can be better addressed through family-based pediatric weight management programs, but U.S. enrollment in these programs is quite low.
  • This study surveyed 158 parents of children aged 5 to 11, exploring factors influencing their intention to enroll in such programs, finding that perceived program effectiveness significantly impacted their likelihood of participation.
  • Key barriers to enrollment included time constraints, concerns about children's enjoyment, and lack of family support, indicating a need for strategies that enhance perceived program effectiveness to boost participation rates.
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  • Home visitation programs can effectively address early childhood obesity through technology, as shown by the positive attitudes of staff towards its use.
  • Staff from the Florida program indicated they find videoconferencing a flexible and efficient method for home visits, suggesting improvements like shorter content and multilingual resources.
  • However, concerns about internet access and potential social disconnect were highlighted, pointing to areas for careful consideration in program implementation.
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  • The study explored barriers to food security for low-income families with young children in Florida, focusing on various community stakeholders' perspectives.
  • Stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and educators, highlighted issues like stigma, time constraints, food access limitations, and transportation problems as major obstacles.
  • The impacts of COVID-19 introduced additional challenges such as fear of virus exposure and decreased engagement in virtual programs, indicating a need for coordinated policy and system changes to improve food security.
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Responsive feeding is associated with a reduced risk of childhood obesity. The objective of this qualitative study was to determine parental preferences for mobile health (mHealth) app content and features designed to improve responsive feeding practices. Parents of 0-2-year-old children were interviewed individually.

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  • Food insecurity significantly affects Hispanic/Latinx households in the U.S., especially those with children under three, highlighting a vulnerable demographic.
  • A narrative review using the Socio-Ecological Model identified various factors influencing food insecurity, including individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal/policy dimensions.
  • The review revealed that while many studies demonstrate a strong evidence quality, there is a pressing need for more research addressing public policy and societal factors affecting food security in these households.
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Children living in food-insecure households have poorer overall health than children in food-secure households. While U.S.

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Few childhood obesity prevention interventions have focused exclusively on fathers, particularly in low-income families. The objectives of this study were to determine feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a father-focused childhood obesity prevention program for low-income families with preschool children (ages 3-5 years old). Father-child pairs ( = 45) enrolled in a community-based intervention in a Northeastern US state and were assigned within groups to intervention ( = 31) or a delayed comparison group ( = 14).

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Background: With a recent focus on establishing US Dietary Guidance for children ages 0 to 2 years old, the objective of this qualitative study was to determine misconceptions and barriers that prevent parents from implementing early childhood feeding and obesity prevention practices as reported by healthcare, community-based, and education providers.

Methods: Trained researchers conducted one-on-one qualitative phone interviews, using a semi-structured script, with early childhood health and education providers working with families of young children. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the classic analysis approach.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explores how gender impacts the relationship between food insecurity and obesity risk among low-income parents.
  • Mothers reported sacrificing more of their food consumption to ensure their children are fed compared to fathers.
  • The findings suggest that the food insecurity-obesity paradox primarily affects women, highlighting the need to understand gender differences in food-related stress and health.
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Background: The study objective was to determine impact of a Farm-to-School intervention on low-income, diverse elementary school students' nutrition-related attitudes, self-efficacy, behaviors, and locally grown vegetable choices.

Methods: Six elementary schools within 1 US school district were equally assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: Local Message, Nutrition Message, or Control. Locally grown vegetables (kale, green beans, zucchini, butternut squash, and beets) were served twice during lunch over 16 weeks.

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Background: Consistent, evidence-based child feeding guidance targeted to parents of children ages birth to 24 months (B-24) is needed for early childhood obesity prevention.

Objective: The aim was to develop and pretest a comprehensive set of child feeding and obesity prevention messages for parents of children ages B-24.

Design: A qualitative, 2-phase protocol, grounded in social and behavior change, was used as a conceptual interview framework to pilot test early childhood feeding messages with parents.

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Food insecurity, defined as the inability to access sufficient food for an active, healthy life, affects 11.1% of the US population and is primarily assessed using the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 18-item Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM). The HFSSM is a self-report measure presumed to represent all household members, but it is unknown if cohabiting parents report food security differently.

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  • The study investigates "nutrition backlash," which refers to negative feelings about dietary guidelines, and its impact on fruit and vegetable consumption.
  • The research involved two studies with a total of 879 adults, discovering a reliable six-item scale for measuring nutrition backlash that differs from other negative feelings like overload and worry.
  • Findings showed higher backlash among less-educated, non-white, and male participants, and those with increased backlash tended to ignore nutritional labels and protective health behaviors like sunscreen use.
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Objective: Weight gain occurs during marriage, yet obesity treatment is focused on individuals. Outcomes may be improved by targeting joint weight loss and the interpersonal milieu that fosters spousal interdependence. Self-determination theory (SDT) posits that autonomy-supportive environments (e.

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  • The study explores the views of low-income parents regarding body weight and weight loss in the context of food insecurity.
  • Interviews with 25 couples revealed themes such as seeing weight loss as a positive change, struggles with weight loss, and the negative impact of poor diet quality.
  • The findings highlight the need for better nutrition support for families facing financial difficulties, while also reflecting the cultural emphasis on weight loss despite their challenges.
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This article provides a perspective about recruiting, engaging, and retaining fathers in research and programming related to nutrition education and childhood obesity prevention. Recent research emphasizes the importance of fathers in childhood obesity prevention, and although father-friendly approaches can emulate other underserved populations, some researchers have acknowledged that differences may exist. Family sciences- related and nutritional sciences-related literature is summarized to provide guidance for nutrition and obesity scholars.

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Limited evidence-based guidance is available to parents regarding optimal child feeding practices to prevent early childhood obesity from birth to 24 months of age (B-24). The objective of this qualitative study was to determine current child feeding practices, barriers to implementation, and educational needs of parents of varying socioeconomic backgrounds as it relates to responsive feeding to prevent early obesity in children of ages B-24. One-on-one interviews were conducted with parents ( = 66) of children ages B-24 from both low-and non-low-income households.

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Background: US Dietary Guidelines include recommendations to increase whole-grain consumption, but most Americans, especially low-income adults, fail to consume adequate amounts.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine major factors that may affect whole-grain consumption among low-income adults.

Methods: A mixed methods approach including a whole-grain food identification activity and in-depth interview was used to determine the factors that influence whole-grain consumption based on the constructs of the integrative behavioral model.

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The objective of this study was to determine the interpretation, understanding, and implementation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) consumer messages among low-income adults and compare findings to perceptions of the messages for consumers by community nutrition educators. In this mixed methods, cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of low-income adults ( = 98) with a child between the ages of 3 and 10 years old and nutrition educators ( = 9) were interviewed individually about the DGA messages, food-related behaviors, and barriers related to consuming fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the inductive approach.

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