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Purpose: Young adolescents who have little interest in participating in competitive team sports are at an increased risk for physical inactivity. Noncompetitive outdoor physical activity can provide young adolescents with increased opportunities to participate in physical activities that appeal to them and have positive health effects. The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to rural young adolescents' participation in noncompetitive outdoor physical activity to inform intervention design. Method: Young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years old (N = 1,032) from 1 rural county completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing constructs from self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) related to noncompetitive outdoor physical activity. Structural equation modeling was used to examine an integrated conceptual model of hypothesized relationships among constructs. Results: The hypothesized conceptual model provided a good fit to the data with greater perceptions of autonomy support and self-determined motivation having statistically significant positive indirect effects on participation in noncompetitive outdoor physical activity mediated by the constructs of the TPB. All direct paths in the model were statistically significant; however, the direct effect of attitudes on intention was weak (0.08) and self-determined motivation had no indirect effect on intention through attitudes (0.03). Conclusions: Constructs of SDT and TPB should be accounted for by interventions targeting noncompetitive outdoor physical activity among young adolescents. More research is needed to determine young adolescents' preferences for noncompetitive and competitive physical activity and the potential influence that noncompetitive outdoor physical activity may have on total daily physical activity.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, health equity has been placed front and center in the conversations surrounding healthcare as well other fields. This conversation has also been occurring in the field of lifestyle medicine with an intentional focus on developing solutions at the intersection of lifestyle medicine and health equity. Initiated by a call to action by ACLM Past President Dexter Shurney at the 2019 Lifestyle Medicine conference, the HEAL Initiative was created with that intention, to address health disparities and advance health equity through lifestyle medicine. Since 2019, the HEAL initiative has grown considerably in its work and impact, creating solutions aligned with the AMA strategic planning recommendations as well developing projects that are examples of community engaged-lifestyle medicine. The work of the HEAL initiative culminated in a full circle moment at the 2023 Lifestyle Medicine Conference which featured an interview (facilitated by Dr. Dexter Shurney) with former US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams and review of HEAL's work over the past 3 years. This article will capture the key highlights of the HEALing our Nation opening session and the cumulative work of HEAL Initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to share a performance assessment task and rubric designed to assess secondary school mathematics preservice teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and skills. The assessment task and rubric were developed in collaboration with five education faculty, four arts and sciences faculty, and four high school teachers over a period of one year. Over this period, the group met more than 15 times and designed an assessment task and rubric to measure secondary school preservice teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and skills. The assessment task and rubric were piloted at the end of the year and extensively revised using the pilot data. The redesigned task and rubric were successfully carried out in the second and subsequent years. Other teacher education programs can benefit from this assessment of teacher candidates' pedagogical content knowledge and skills.

A study examined factors inherent in Montana's smallest schools that attract and retain teachers. Surveys of 126 elementary teachers in 107 small school districts found that a rural background and proximity to family or home were influential in accepting employment. The classroom experience, particularly their relationship with students, and community factors motivated teachers to continue teaching. (Contains 20 references.) (TD)

Objective Card-sorting tasks for assessing food and activity preferences and patterns among African American girls were developed. Associations among food preference and intake frequency, activity preference and frequency, and body mass index were examined. Design Participants completed newly developed card-sorting tasks assessing food and activity preferences and patterns. Height and weight were measured. Subjects/setting Ninety-six 8- to 10-year-old African American girls from schools and community centers in Minneapolis--St. Paul. Main outcome measures Preference and frequency data for 64 foods/beverages and 34 activities. Statistical analyses Frequencies for food and activity preference and frequency categories were computed. Pearson correlations among food and activity preference, frequency, and body mass index were computed. Results High-sugar (eg, fruit drinks, soda) and/or high-fat (eg, ice cream, cookies) foods were among the most popular and frequently consumed. Ninety-six percent of girls liked fruit drinks, with 35% consuming them "almost every day." Less-structured activities such as biking, games, jump rope, and dance were most popular. Biking was preferred by 85% of girls, with 48% biking "almost every day." Food preference and frequency categories were moderately correlated (r=0.30 to 0.58), as were activity preference and frequency (r=0.37 to 0.49). Applications The card-sorting tasks are useful tools for assessing food and activity preferences and patterns in girls. Obesity prevention programs for African American girls should include preferred activities such as dance, jump rope, and active play. Programs may also benefit from a focus on replacing high fat/ high sugar snacks and sweetened beverages with low fat, lower-calorie snacks and beverages (eg, fruit, vegetables, water).

Objectives. This study examined whether providing a school-based teacher wellness program enhances the impact of a health curriculum on student outcomes and improves cognitive, behavioral, and physiological outcomes among participating teachers. Methods. Thirty-two elementary schools were randomly assigned to experimental or comparison conditions. Comparison group schools received the Gimme-5 program, a curriculum designed to increase fourth and fifth graders' consumption of fruits and vegetables. Experimental schools received Gimme-5 and the teacher wellness program, which included 54 workshops over 2 years, along with several schoolwide health activities. Physiological, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes were assessed in teachers and students. Results. There was no evidence that the intervention favorably modified any student or teacher end points; nor did intervention teachers deliver the Gimme-5 program with greater fidelity than comparison teachers. Conclusion. Confidence in the null results is bolstered by the randomized design, baseline sample equivalence, appropriate mixed-model analyses, and lack of selective or differential attrition. Insufficient participation in the wellness program appears a likely explanation for the lack of teacher and student effects. Factors specific to the school setting and the intervention may have diminished participation and, thus, intervention effects. (Am J Public Health. 1998;88:250-257)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between workload, exhaustion, and key health behaviors for weight loss—nutrition and physical activity. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the path coefficients in a sample of 953 employed adults. The results show that workload and exhaustion were positively related to emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, and percent of calories from fat. In addition, exhaustion was negatively related to physical activity levels. Workload and exhaustion are associated with nutrition and physical activity behaviors that promote weight gain and should be considered in weight management interventions for working adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]