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Sociodemographic differences in selected eating practices among alternative high school students.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Arcan, C; Kubik, MY; Fulkerson, JA; Story, M
Published in: J Am Diet Assoc
May 2009

BACKGROUND: Students attending alternative high schools are an at-risk group of youth for poor health behaviors and obesity. However, little is known about their dietary practices. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and selected dietary practices, including consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat foods, and fruits and vegetables and fast-food restaurant use, among students attending alternative high schools. DESIGN: Population-based, cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS/SETTING: A convenience sample of adolescents (n=145; 52% men; 63% aged <18 years; and 39% white, 32% African American, and 29% other/multiracial) attending six alternative high schools in the St Paul/Minneapolis, MN, metropolitan area completed a survey. Students were participants in the Team COOL (Controlling Overweight and Obesity for Life) pilot study, a group randomized obesity prevention trial. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Descriptive statistics were used to describe dietary practices. Mixed model multivariate analyses were used to assess differences in dietary practices by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Regular soda was consumed at least five to six times per week by more than half of students. One half of students reported eating or drinking something from a fast-food restaurant at least three to four times a week. African-American students had the highest consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (P=0.025), high-fat foods (P=0.002), and highest frequency of fast-food restaurant use (P<0.025). Mean fruit/vegetable intake was 3.6 servings/day; there were no sociodemographic differences in fruit/vegetable consumption. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with a higher consumption of regular soda (P=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Racial/ethnic and sex differences in the consumption of regular soda, high-fat foods, and fast-food restaurant use among alternative high school students underscores the importance of implementing health promotion programs in alternative high schools.

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Published In

J Am Diet Assoc

DOI

EISSN

1878-3570

Publication Date

May 2009

Volume

109

Issue

5

Start / End Page

823 / 829

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • White People
  • Vegetables
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Social Class
  • Sex Distribution
  • Restaurants
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Pilot Projects
  • Obesity
  • Nutrition Surveys
 

Citation

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Arcan, C., Kubik, M. Y., Fulkerson, J. A., & Story, M. (2009). Sociodemographic differences in selected eating practices among alternative high school students. J Am Diet Assoc, 109(5), 823–829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2009.02.001
Arcan, Chrisa, Martha Y. Kubik, Jayne A. Fulkerson, and Mary Story. “Sociodemographic differences in selected eating practices among alternative high school students.J Am Diet Assoc 109, no. 5 (May 2009): 823–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2009.02.001.
Arcan C, Kubik MY, Fulkerson JA, Story M. Sociodemographic differences in selected eating practices among alternative high school students. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 May;109(5):823–9.
Arcan, Chrisa, et al. “Sociodemographic differences in selected eating practices among alternative high school students.J Am Diet Assoc, vol. 109, no. 5, May 2009, pp. 823–29. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jada.2009.02.001.
Arcan C, Kubik MY, Fulkerson JA, Story M. Sociodemographic differences in selected eating practices among alternative high school students. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 May;109(5):823–829.

Published In

J Am Diet Assoc

DOI

EISSN

1878-3570

Publication Date

May 2009

Volume

109

Issue

5

Start / End Page

823 / 829

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • White People
  • Vegetables
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Social Class
  • Sex Distribution
  • Restaurants
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Pilot Projects
  • Obesity
  • Nutrition Surveys