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ObjectiveThe purpose of the current study was to examine associations of individual and aggregated screen-based behaviours, and total sitting time, with healthy and unhealthy dietary intakes among adolescents.DesignCross-sectional study of adolescents. Participants self-reported durations of television viewing, computer use, playing electronic games (e-games), total sitting time, daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and frequency of consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), diet beverages, fast foods and discretionary snacks. Logistic regression models were conducted to identify associations of screen-based behaviours, total screen time and total sitting time with dietary intakes.SettingVictoria, Australia.SubjectsAdolescents (n 939) in School Year 11 (mean age 16·8 years).ResultsThe results showed that watching television (≥2 h/d) was positively associated with consuming SSB and diet beverages each week and consuming discretionary snacks at least once daily, whereas computer use (≥2 h/d) was inversely associated with daily fruit and vegetable intake and positively associated with weekly fast-food consumption. Playing e-games (any) was inversely associated with daily vegetable intake and positively associated with weekly SSB consumption. Total screen (≥2 h/d) and sitting (h/d) times were inversely associated with daily fruit and vegetable consumption, with total screen time also positively associated with daily discretionary snack consumption and weekly consumption of SSB and fast foods.ConclusionsIndividual and aggregated screen-based behaviours, as well as total sitting time, are associated with a number of indicators of healthy and unhealthy dietary intake. Future research should explore whether reducing recreational screen time improves adolescents’ diets.

ObjectiveDuring the early years, parents have a major influence on children's diets and developing food choices. We investigated parenting styles as predictors of 2–5-year-old children's diets and whether general nutrition knowledge (GNK) mediated these influences.DesignCross-sectional research. Questionnaires measured demographic and lifestyle variables, family environment, parenting styles and feeding practices, child diet and GNK. Regression models tested GNK as a mediator of relationships between parenting variables and child diet (fruit/vegetable and non-core food consumption), controlling for confounders and family environment.SettingQuestionnaires were completed by main caregivers at home.SubjectsParents of children aged 2–5 years (n269).ResultsHigher child fruit/vegetable consumption was associated with lower over-reactive parenting and restriction, higher authoritative parenting and dining together as a family; with lax parenting approaching statistical significance (P= 0·083) and 19 % of variance explained by the model. GNK was not a significant predictor. Conversely, non-core food consumption was associated with higher over-reactive and lax parenting as well as child age, increased takeaway food consumption and higher television viewing; GNK had a small effect (P= 0·043) and 28 % of variance was explained by the model. GNK was a significant mediator only for authoritative parenting on non-core food (effect = −0·005).ConclusionsThese findings highlight that young children's diets may be improved by interventions targeting a range of positive and supportive parenting practices in conjunction with nutrition knowledge education for parents of young children. Further insights will come from closer attention to the nature and role of restrictive feeding practicesv. laxness and longitudinal research.

ObjectiveTo describe the rationale, development and implementation of the quantitative component of evaluation of a multi-setting, multi-strategy, community-based childhood obesity prevention project (the eat well be active (ewba) Community Programs) and the challenges associated with this process and some potential solutions.Designewba has a quasi-experimental design with intervention and comparison communities. Baseline data were collected in 2006 and post-intervention measures will be taken from a non-matched cohort in 2009. Schoolchildren aged 10–12 years were chosen as one litmus group for evaluation purposes.SettingThirty-nine primary schools in two metropolitan and two rural communities in South Australia.SubjectsA total of 1732 10–12-year-old school students completed a nutrition and/or a physical activity questionnaire and 1637 had anthropometric measures taken; 983 parents, 286 teachers, thirty-six principals, twenty-six canteen and thirteen out-of-school-hours care (OSHC) workers completed Program-specific questionnaires developed for each of these target groups.ResultsThe overall child response rate for the study was 49 %. Sixty-five per cent, 43 %, 90 %, 90 % and 68 % of parent, teachers, principals, canteen and OSHC workers respectively, completed and returned questionnaires. A number of practical, logistical and methodological challenges were experienced when undertaking this data collection.ConclusionsLearnings from the process of quantitative baseline data collection for the ewba Community Programs can provide insights for other researchers planning similar studies with similar methods, particularly those evaluating multi-strategy programmes across multiple settings.

ObjectiveIn the early years of life, influential attributes are formed and may be difficult to change later in life. Early childhood is now recognised as a key target in the prevention of overweight and obesity, and the knowledge that children gain at this time about food and its health benefits may have an important influence on their dietary choices and preferences in later life. Therefore, an activity was designed using age-appropriate methods to assess nutrition knowledge of young children.DesignThe Healthy Food Knowledge Activity was developed using a list of thirty healthy and unhealthy foods and drinks generated from the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.SettingThe activity was conducted with individual children from reception classes of South Australian schools.SubjectsChildren aged 5–6 years undertook the activity in a pilot study (n 13) and in the main study (n 192).ResultsPilot data indicated good test–retest reliability of the activity (r = 0·84, P < 0·01). In the main study, there was a good distribution of scores with acceptable skewness and kurtosis statistics. A breakdown of responses indicated good face validity, with more obvious foods being more correctly classified.ConclusionsChildren as young as 5–6 years of age can correctly identify healthy foods, and this can be measured objectively. This activity also provides interesting insights regarding misconceptions about foods that could be attributed to influences such as media advertising and that can be addressed by educators of this age group.