Lower Protein-to-Carbohydrate Ratio in Maternal Diet is Associated with Higher Childhood Systolic Blood Pressure up to Age Four Years.

The prenatal environment can influence development of offspring blood pressure (BP), which tracks into adulthood. This prospective longitudinal study investigated whether maternal pregnancy dietary intake is associated with the development of child BP up to age four years. Data are from 129 mother-child dyads enrolled in the Women and Their Children's Health study.

How big is a food portion? A pilot study in Australian families.

Issues Addressed: It is not known whether individuals can accurately estimate the portion size of foods usually consumed relative to standard serving sizes in national food selection guides. The aim of the present cross-sectional pilot study was to quantify what adults and children deem a typical portion for a variety of foods and compare these with the serving sizes specified in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE).

Methods: Adults and children were independently asked to serve out their typical portion of 10 common foods (rice, pasta, breakfast cereal, chocolate, confectionary, ice cream, meat, vegetables, soft drink and milk).

Impact of a male-only weight loss maintenance programme on social-cognitive determinants of physical activity and healthy eating: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To examine the effect of a gender-tailored, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)-based weight loss maintenance (WLM) intervention on men's physical activity and healthy eating cognitions and behaviours in the 12 months after completing a weight loss programme.

Design: A two-phase, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

Methods: Ninety-two overweight/obese men (mean [SD] age: 49.

eHealth interventions for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. Eight databases were searched for studies published in English from 1995 to 17 September 2014. Eighty-four studies were included, with 183 intervention arms, of which 76% (n = 139) included an eHealth component.

A meta-meta-analysis of the effect of physical activity on depression and anxiety in non-clinical adult populations.

Amidst strong efforts to promote the therapeutic benefits of physical activity for reducing depression and anxiety in clinical populations, little focus has been directed towards the mental health benefits of activity for non-clinical populations. The objective of this meta-meta-analysis was to systematically aggregate and quantify high-quality meta-analytic findings of the effects of physical activity on depression and anxiety for non-clinical populations. A systematic search identified eight meta-analytic outcomes of randomised trials that investigated the effects of physical activity on depression or anxiety.

Reducing postpartum weight retention and improving breastfeeding outcomes in overweight women: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Overweight and obesity is prevalent among women of reproductive age (42% BMI > 25 kg/m2) and parity is associated with risk of weight gain. Weight gain greater than that recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM )is also associated with lower rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration in women. The aim of this pilot randomised controlled trial is to examine the feasibility of recruiting and maintaining a cohort of pregnant women with the view of reducing postpartum weight retention and improving breastfeeding outcomes.

Improvements in fundamental movement skill competency mediate the effect of the SCORES intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children.

Numerous studies have identified a positive association between fundamental movement skill (FMS) competency and physical activity in children; however, the causal pathways have not been established. The aim of this study is to determine if changes in FMS competency mediated the effect of the Supporting Children's Outcomes using Rewards, Exercise and Skills (SCORES) intervention on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in children. Eight primary schools (25 classes) and 460 children (aged 8.

Child physical activity levels and associations with modifiable characteristics in centre-based childcare.

Objective: To describe children's physical activity levels during childcare and associations with modifiable characteristics.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 328 preschool children (43% girls; age 3-5 years) and 145 staff from 20 long day care centres in the Hunter Region of NSW, Australia. Pedometers assessed child physical activity levels.

Comparison of resistance training progression models on maximal strength in sub-elite adolescent rugby union players.

Objectives: To determine changes in maximal strength between two different resistance training progression models, linear (LP) and daily undulating (DUP), over a 12-week resistance training programme in sub-elite adolescent rugby union players.

Design: The study used a quasi-experimental study design. Following baseline assessments, participants from Squad 1 were randomised to either LP or DUP; participants from Squad 2 formed a non-randomised comparison group (CON).

The comparative validity and reproducibility of a diet quality index for adults: the Australian Recommended Food Score.

Adult diet quality indices are shown to predict nutritional adequacy of dietary intake as well as all-cause morbidity and mortality. This study describes the reproducibility and validity of a food-based diet quality index, the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS). ARFS was developed to reflect alignment with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and is modelled on the US Recommended Food Score.

Factors associated with early cessation of breastfeeding in women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Aim: To determine factors associated with early cessation of breastfeeding (≤ 3 months) in women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of women aged ≥ 18 years, diagnosed with GDM in 2010 and registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme in Australia. The 59 questions examined breastfeeding duration, intention, attitudes, exclusivity and support.

Can dietary intake influence perception of and measured appearance? A systematic review.

Appearance-based interventions have had some success in reducing smoking and sun exposure. Appearance may also motivate dietary behavior change if it was established that dietary improvement had a positive impact on appearance. The aims of this review are to evaluate the current evidence examining the relationship between dietary intake and appearance and to determine the effectiveness of dietary interventions on perceived or actual appearance.

Physical education in secondary schools located in low-income communities: Physical activity levels, lesson context and teacher interaction.

Objectives: Physical education (PE) plays an important role in contributing to students' physical activity (PA); however, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) within PE is lower than recommended. Little is known about the PA levels of students from disadvantaged schools within PE. This study aimed to describe: (i) the PA levels of students from disadvantaged secondary schools during PE lessons, (ii) the lesson context and teacher interactions occurring during PE, and (iii) the associations between teacher, school or PE lesson characteristics with student physical activity levels in PE.

Efficacy of GP referral of insufficiently active patients for expert physical activity counseling: protocol for a pragmatic randomized trial (The NewCOACH trial).

Background: Physical inactivity is fourth in the list of risk factors for global mortality. General practitioners are well placed to offer physical activity counseling but insufficient time is a barrier. Although referral to an exercise specialist is an alternative, in Australia, these allied health professionals are only publicly funded to provide face-to-face counseling to patients who have an existing chronic illness.

Paternal Lifestyle-Related Parenting Practices Mediate Changes in Children's Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors: Findings From the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids Community Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: This study examined potential parenting-related mediators of children's physical activity and dietary behavior change in the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids (HDHK) community program.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 45 overweight/obese (mean [SD] age = 39.8 [5.

Rationale and study protocol for 'Switch-off 4 Healthy Minds' (S4HM): a cluster randomized controlled trial to reduce recreational screen time in adolescents.

Introduction: Excessive recreational screen time (i.e., screen use for entertainment) is a global public health issue associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes.

Video game genre preference, physical activity and screen-time in adolescent boys from low-income communities.

The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between the types of video games played by adolescent boys and their participation in physical activity and recreational screen-time. Participants were 320 boys (mean age = 12.7, ±0.

Social cognitive theory and physical activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This review investigated three research questions (i) What is the utility of social cognitive theory (SCT) to explain physical activity (PA)?; (ii) Is the effectiveness of SCT moderated by sample or methodological characteristics? and (iii) What is the frequency of significant associations between the core SCT constructs and PA? Ten electronic databases were searched with no date or sample restrictions. Forty-four studies were retrieved containing 55 SCT models of PA. Methodological quality was assessed using a standardized tool.

Behavioral mediators of weight loss in the SHED-IT community randomized controlled trial for overweight and obese men.

Background: Little is known about which behavioral strategies are most important to target in weight loss interventions for men.

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to identify behavioral mediators of weight loss in the male-only Self-Help, Exercise, and Diet using Information Technology (SHED-IT) community weight loss study.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial with 159 overweight/obese men [mean (SD) age = 47.

Outcomes and process evaluation of a programme integrating physical activity into the primary school mathematics curriculum: The EASY Minds pilot randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: This study evaluated the feasibility of the 'Encouraging Activity to Stimulate Young (EASY) Minds' programme, a school-based intervention for integrating physical activity (PA) into mathematics lessons.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Methods: Two classes from a single school (n = 54) were randomised to receive either the 6-week EASY Minds intervention (n = 27) or follow their usual school programme (n = 27).

Maternal diet during early childhood, but not pregnancy, predicts diet quality and fruit and vegetable acceptance in offspring.

Studies have identified prenatal flavour exposure as a determinant of taste preferences in infants; however, these studies have focused on relatively small samples and limited flavours. As many parents struggle with getting children to accept a variety of nutritious foods, a study of the factors influencing food acceptance is warranted. The objective of this study was to determine whether exposure to a wider variety of fruit and vegetables and overall higher diet quality in utero results in acceptance of a greater variety of these foods and better diet quality for offspring during childhood.

Prevalence of energy intake misreporting in Malay children varies based on application of different cut points.

This study aimed to identify the prevalence of energy misreporting amongst a sample of Malay children aged 9-11 years (n = 14) using a range of commonly used cut points. Participants were interviewed using repeated 24 h dietary recalls over three occasions. The Goldberg equations (1991 and 2000), Torun cut points and the Black and Cole method were applied to the data.

School-based obesity prevention interventions: practicalities and considerations.

Pediatric obesity continues to be a major public health concern. Once established it is difficult to treat, therefore well-designed and evaluated prevention interventions are vitally important. Schools have an important role in the prevention of childhood obesity, however, their involvement can be limited by a number of constraints and barriers, which need to be considered when designing interventions.

Impact of self-help weight loss resources with or without online support on the dietary intake of overweight and obese men: the SHED-IT randomised controlled trial.

Background: Obese men are more likely to have poor dietary patterns compared to women, increasing diet-related chronic disease risk. The impact of a male-only weight loss intervention on dietary intakes is under-evaluated. The aim was to determine whether overweight/obese men randomised to self-help paper-based resources with or without online support, achieved greater improvements in diet compared with Wait-list controls at 3 and 6 months following a gender tailored weight-loss intervention.