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Background: Farmers' work schedules can result in inconsistent sleep patterns which negatively impact health., Purpose: To explore the relationships between sleep, obesity, and depression in working, older farmers and their spouses. Covariates included body mass index (BMI), age, and gender., Methods: Sleep quality, BMI, and depression were assessed in farmers (n = 1,394) 50 years and older. Bivariate associations among all covariates (i.e., age, gender, BMI, sleep) and dependent variable (i.e., depression) were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. Multivariable associations of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD). BMI with other study variables were assessed using linear regression., Results: BMI was positively associated with sleep apnea symptoms (p ≤ 0.0001) and CESD scores (p = 0.0006). Participants with difficulty falling asleep were more likely to have poor sleep quality (p ≤ 0.0001) and higher CESD scores (p ≤ 0.0001). Poor sleep quality was associated with higher CESD scores (p ≤ 0.0001). Increased age, female gender, higher BMI, sleep apnea symptoms, and poorer sleep quality were all predictive of higher depressive symptoms., Discussion: Farmers have unique lifestyles that increase the risk of poor sleep. Screening for sleep pattern disruption and understanding its impact could result in lower rates of depression and obesity in this group of high-risk individuals., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: Our pilot study was conducted to test the reliability of the Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire (CFSQ) and the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment (FNPA) in a sample of Arab mothers., Design: Twenty-five Arab mothers completed the CFSQ, FNPA, and the Participant Background Survey for the first administration. After 1-2 weeks, participants completed the CFSQ and the FNPA for the second administration. The two administrations of the surveys allowed for test/retest reliability of the CFSQ and the FNPA and to measure the internal consistency of the two surveys., Results: Pearson's correlation between the first and second administrations or the 19-item scale (demandingness) and the 7-item scale (responsiveness) of the CFSQ were .95 and .86, respectively. As for the FNPA, Pearson's correlation was .80. The estimated reliabilities (Cronbach's alpha) of the CFSQ increased from .86 for the first administration to .93 for the second administration. However, the estimated reliabilities of the FNPA slightly increased from .58 for first administration to .59 for the second administration., Conclusion: In our pilot study of Arab mothers, the CFSQ and FNPA were shown to be promising in terms of reliability and content validity.

This study examines the exercise habits and perceived barriers to exercise of a convenience sample of 300 commercial truck drivers. Participants reported minimal amounts of exercise, with nearly 20% not exercising in the past week. A high prevalence of obesity was found in this sample: 93.3% of study participants had a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. Drivers with BMIs of greater than 30 were significantly more likely to rate the exercise environment as terrible/bad. Drivers who had at least one health condition engaged in significantly less aerobic exercise, used fewer strengthening exercises, did not exercise for 30 minutes continuously, and had a higher BMI. Drivers who spent most of their off-duty time in their truck while their partner drove were also significantly more likely to not exercise regularly. Most drivers cited lack of time and place as the primary barriers to exercising. This study adds to the limited knowledge about exercise behaviors among commercial truck drivers., (2011, SLACK Incorporated.)

Contributors to excessive obesity in rural youth include well-documented nutrition and physical activity behaviors. However, emerging research suggests that preventing excessive weight gain and smoking during pregnancy, teen pregnancy, and child abuse also could reduce obesity in this vulnerable population. These traditional and emerging, nontraditional factors need to be addressed within the confines of current challenges faced by rural communities. An enhanced ecological model provides a framework for combining traditional and nontraditional factors into a more comprehensive approach that addresses the complexity of the issues contributing to youth obesity., (Copyright © 2011 Society for Nutrition Education. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The main purposes of this study were to assess TV viewing among Hispanic young children and to examine effects of having a TV in the child's bedroom (TVIB)., Design and Setting: A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate an intervention program that is collecting longitudinal data in West Texas. However, the current report uses only the baseline data of the ongoing study., Subjects: Predominantly low-income and Hispanic parents/guardians (N=315) and their children of 5 to 9 years (N=597)., Measures: Children's anthropometric measures were obtained. Their overweight status was determined based on age- and gender-adjusted body mass index. A demographic questionnaire, acculturation scale (brief version of Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans II), and family survey were used among parents., Analysis: Descriptive statistics, t-tests, χ(2) tests, and logistic regressions were used., Results: Most children (70%) have TVIB; more than 30% were or were at risk of overweight. Demographic characteristics did not significantly predict TVIB. Children with TVIB spent .93 hours more daily watching TV/DVD (t=3.07; df=283; p=.003), and children (at one site) ate more fast food (χ(2)=5.46; df=1; p=.019), compared with children without TVIB whose parents better supported physical activity (t=2.11; df=275; p=.039)., Conclusion: Most children in this low-income and Hispanic sample have TVIB, which is associated with unhealthy behaviors., (Copyright © 2011 by American Journal of Health Promotion, Inc.)

This study conducted formative research (surveys, focus groups) to assess the nutrition education needs of clients in the Texas Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program prior to curriculum revision. Participants were current Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program participants in 3 Texas cities (Austin, Houston, San Antonio). Data were used to tailor the curriculum to the target population. This research provides evidence that members of the target audience can provide valuable insights into a particular topic. Formative work prior to intervention development should be conducted to identify key issues regarding a particular topic and to evaluate potential educational approaches.