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Purpose: This prospective cohort study investigated whether body mass index (BMI) and weight status in mid-adulthood were predicted by trajectories of urban-rural residence from childhood to adulthood., Methods: Participants aged 7-15 years in 1985 (n = 8498) were followed up in 2004-2006 (n = 3999, aged 26-36 years) and 2009-2011 (n = 3049, aged 31-41 years). Area of residence (AOR) was classified as urban or rural at each time point. BMI and/or weight status was calculated from self-reported weight and height (2009-2011). We tested which of three life-course models ("accumulation," "sensitive period," "mobility") best explained the AOR-BMI and/or weight status association using a novel life-course modeling framework., Results: Accumulation and sensitive period models best described the effect of AOR on mid-adulthood BMI and weight status. Those with greater accumulated exposure to rural areas had a higher BMI (β = 0.29 kg/m 2 per time in a rural area, P = .005) and were more likely obese (relative risk = 1.13 per time in a rural area, P = .002). Living in rural areas at ages 26-30 years was also associated with a higher BMI and obesity in mid-adulthood., Conclusions: Greater cumulative exposure to rurality and exposure during the "sensitive period" of young adulthood is associated with obesity in middle-aged adults. This study highlights the important contribution of context to the development of obesity over the life course., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Breakfast skipping is a potentially modifiable behavior that has negative effects on health and is socioeconomically patterned. This study aimed to examine the intrapersonal (health, behavioral, and cognitive) and social factors associated with breakfast skipping. Nonpregnant women (n = 4123) aged 18-45 y from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods throughout Victoria, Australia, completed a postal questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics, diet, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and cognitive and social factors were assessed by self-report. Breakfast skipping was defined in 2 ways: 1) "rarely/never" eating breakfast (n = 498) and 2) eating breakfast ≤2 d/wk (includes those who rarely/never ate breakfast; n = 865). Poisson regression was used to calculate prevalence ratios and linear trends, adjusting for covariates. The P values for linear trends are reported below. Compared with breakfast consumers, women who reported rarely/never eating breakfast tended to have poorer self-rated health (P-trend < 0.001), be current smokers (P-trend < 0.001), pay less attention to health (P-trend < 0.001), not prioritize their own healthy eating when busy looking after their family (P-trend < 0.001), have less nutrition knowledge (P-trend < 0.001), and a lower proportion were trying to control their weight (P-trend < 0.020). When breakfast skipping was defined as eating breakfast ≤2 d/wk, additional associations were found for having lower leisure-time physical activity (P-trend = 0.012) and less self-efficacy for eating a healthy diet (P-trend < 0.043). In conclusion, a range of intrapersonal and social factors were significantly associated with breakfast skipping among women living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Acknowledging the cross-sectional design and need for causal confirmation, programs that aim to promote breakfast consumption in this population group should consider targeting family-related barriers to healthy eating and nutrition knowledge.

Background: The behavioral pathways through which television (TV) viewing leads to increased adiposity in adults are unclear., Objective: We wanted to determine whether the association between TV viewing and abdominal obesity in young adults is mediated by food and beverage consumption during TV viewing time or by a reduction in overall leisure-time physical activity (LTPA)., Design: This study involved a cross-sectional analysis of data from 2001 Australian adults aged 26-36 y. Waist circumference (WC) was measured at study clinics, and TV viewing time, frequency of food and beverage consumption during TV viewing, LTPA, and demographic characteristics were self-reported., Results: Women watching TV > 3 h/d had a higher prevalence of severe abdominal obesity (WC: > or = 88 cm) compared with women watching < or = 1 h/d [prevalence ratio (PR): 1.89; 95% CI: 1.32, 2.71]. Moderate abdominal obesity (WC: 94-101.9 cm) was more prevalent in men watching TV > 3 h/d than in men watching < or = 1 h/d (PR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.37, 3.41). Adjustment for LTPA made little difference, but adjustment for food and beverage consumption during TV viewing attenuated the associations (PR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.17 for women; PR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.83 for men)., Conclusions: The association between TV viewing and WC in young adults may be partially explained by food and beverage consumption during TV viewing but was not explained by a reduction in overall LTPA. Other behaviors likely contribute to the association between TV viewing and obesity.

Purpose: To compare the ability of alternative measures of physical activity and fitness to quantify associations with health outcomes., Methods: Associations between a range of subjective and objective physical activity and fitness measures and cardiometabolic risk factors were examined using data from 1,631 Australians aged 26-36 years. Anthropometry, fitness, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose, insulin, and lipids were measured at study clinics. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and 7-day pedometer diaries; they also reported sedentary behavior (sitting, television viewing)., Results: In men and women, associations were strongest for fitness, with those in the highest (vs. lowest) fitness quarter having a 75% to 80% lower prevalence of two or more primary risk factors (waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and insulin resistance). In men, a 60% to 70% reduced prevalence of two or more risk factors was observed across extreme quarters of IPAQ leisure, IPAQ vigorous, sitting duration, and pedometer measures. Similar reductions in prevalence were observed only across extreme quarters of pedometer activity and television viewing in women., Conclusions: Associations between alternative measures and cardiometabolic risk were relatively independent, suggesting that a range of physical activity and fitness measures may be needed to most accurately quantify associations between physical activity and health.