Associations among measures of energy balance related behaviors and psychosocial determinants in urban upper elementary school children

Lorraine N Bandelli; Heewon Lee Gray; Rachel C Paul; Isobel R Contento; Pamela A Koch

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2016.09.027

Associations among measures of energy balance related behaviors and psychosocial determinants in urban upper elementary school children

Appetite. 2017 Jan 1:108:171-182. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.09.027. Epub 2016 Sep 24.

Authors

Lorraine N Bandelli¹, Heewon Lee Gray², Rachel C Paul³, Isobel R Contento⁴, Pamela A Koch⁵

Affiliations

¹ New York Chiropractic College, Seneca Falls, NY 13148, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Program in Nutrition, Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Program in Nutrition, Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Program in Nutrition, Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Program in Nutrition, Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 27677854
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.09.027

Abstract

Background: Childhood obesity prevention is a pressing issue. Understanding the relationships among eating and physical activity behaviors and potential psychosocial determinants of behavior will help us design more effective interventions. This study aimed to examine such relationships in a large sample of urban elementary school children.

Methods: Fifth grade students in 20 recruited New York City public schools completed a validated questionnaire on six "do more" (fruits and vegetables and physical activity) and "do less" (sweetened beverages, processed packaged snacks, fast food and sedentary behavior) energy balance related behaviors (EBRBs) and psychosocial determinants of behavior from social cognitive and self-determination theories. Correlations among behaviors and hierarchical linear model analyses of the relationship between psychosocial determinants and behaviors were conducted for those with complete data (n = 952).

Results: The "do more" and the "do less" behaviors were significantly correlated within categories (p < 0.01). "Do more" food-related behaviors were correlated with physical activity but so were sports drinks, while the "do less" food-related behaviors tended to be correlated to sedentary behavior (p < 0.01). "Do more" behaviors were associated with self-efficacy and habit strength, and "do less" behaviors with outcome expectations, self-efficacy, habit strength, and behavioral intention.

Conclusions: Interventions can address the healthy and less healthy clusters of behaviors together, focusing on strategies to enhance their self-efficacy and habit strength for the "do more" behaviors and outcome expectations to motivate intention to choose fewer "do less" behaviors, along with enhancing self-efficacy and habit. Research can examine these determinants as potential mediators of change in intervention.

Keywords: Eating patterns; Energy balance related behaviors; Psychosocial determinants of eating and activity behaviors; Upper elementary school children.

MeSH terms

Child
Child Behavior / psychology
Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diet, Healthy* / psychology
Energy Intake*
Exercise* / psychology
Feeding Behavior / psychology
Female
Fruit
Humans
Male
Models, Psychological*
New York City / epidemiology
Nutrition Surveys
Patient Compliance* / psychology
Pediatric Obesity / epidemiology
Pediatric Obesity / prevention & control
Pediatric Obesity / psychology
Personal Autonomy
Psychosocial Support Systems
Risk
Urban Health*
Vegetables