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Despite pharmacological advances in diabetes treatment, medical nutrition therapy (MNT) continues to be an essential component of diabetes management. Nonetheless, physicians have missed opportunities to provide nutrition counseling to their patients. This presents a problem because Type 2 diabetes is an epidemic with severe consequences that result from non-adherence to nutrition protocols. The goals of this article are: 1) to explore reasons for the continued paucity of nutrition education in medical training programs, 2) to describe how a power educative approach can be used to improve patient outcomes, and 3) to identify considerations for improving nutrition literacy among physicians. These analyses lead to several recommendations for improving nutrition education for physicians.

Suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for American youth. Researchers examining sport participation and suicidal behavior have regularly found inverse relationships. This study represents the first effort to test a model depicting potential mechanisms through which sport participation relates to reduced risk of suicidal ideation. The participants were 450 undergraduate students. Measures assessed participants' involvement in university-run sports and other activities; frequency of physical activity; and perceived social support, self-esteem, depression, hopelessness, loneliness, and suicidal ideation. Regression analyses confirmed a path model and tested for mediation effects. Vigorous activity mediated relationships between sport participation and self-esteem and depression; and self-esteem and depression mediated the relationship between vigorous activity and suicidal ideation. Social support mediated relationships between sport participation and depression, hopelessness, and loneliness; and each of these risk factors partially mediated the relationship between social support and suicidal ideation. However, no variable fully mediated the relationship between sport participation and suicidal ideation. This study provides a foundation for research designed to examine pathways through which sport participation relates to reduced risk of suicidal behavior. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

Background: How adolescents spend their out-of-school time represents one of the most important factors for predicting positive youth development. Sport participation relates to many beneficial outcomes. However, current economic conditions threaten high school sport programs around the United States. This investigation examined relationships by year between sport participation and numerous health risk behaviors among high school students. Methods: Data were derived from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Surveys administered every 2 years from 1999 through 2007. Items assessed were sport participation, vigorous physical activity, dietary habits, weight loss, sexual activity, interpersonal violence and suicidality, and substance use. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine relationships between sport participation and each health behavior. Interaction effects tested whether relationships varied by year, sex, age, and/or race/ethnicity. Results: Analyses revealed some consistencies across years in relationships between sport participation and health risk behaviors for both sexes. However, most relationships varied by race/ethnicity. Among White students, sport participation related to multiple positive health behaviors. Conversely, African American, Hispanic, and Other athletes showed fewer positive health behaviors and some negative behaviors. Conclusions: Findings suggest that participation in organized sports affords many health benefits to most adolescents, but relates to some negative health behaviors in certain subgroups. Information regarding sport participation and health risk behaviors among subgroups across years can inform school policy, practice, and future research. (Contains 5 tables.)

Objective: The authors explored associations among types of physical activity and hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior among college students. Participants: Participants included 43,499 college students aged 18 to 25 who completed the 2005 National College Health Assessment conducted by the American College Health Association. Methods: The authors used logistic regression modeling to compare the odds of experiencing hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior in students who engaged in various levels of aerobic and strength or toning activity with students who did not perform these activities. Results: Men and women who engaged in some physical activity each week demonstrated a reduced risk of hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior compared with their inactive counterparts. Conclusions: This study provides empirical evidence that establishes the association between physical activity, especially aerobic activity, and reduced risk of hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior among college students. (Contains 5 tables.)

Objective: This study explored whether specific dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious well-being and existential well-being) relate to reduced suicidal ideation, and whether associations persisted after controlling for religiosity and psychosocial variables associated with suicide. Participants: Participants were 457 college students who completed measures that assessed spiritual well-being, religiosity, hopelessness, depression, social support, and suicidal ideation. Methods: The authors used linear regression modeling to assess religious and spiritual correlates of suicidal ideation. Results: After controlling for demographic variables and psychosocial factors, neither involvement in organized religion nor religious well-being significantly contributed to suicidal ideation. However, even after controlling for significant correlates, existential well-being remained a significant predictor of suicidal ideation. Conclusions: This investigation highlighted existential well-being as an important factor associated with lower levels of suicidal ideation among college students. Findings from this study focusing on the association between spiritual well-being and suicidality may prove especially beneficial to suicide prevention efforts. (Contains 4 tables.)

Background: Suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for adolescents. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that the adolescent suicide rate increased 18% between 2003 and 2004. Sport may represent a promising protective factor against adolescent suicide. This study examined the relative risk of hopelessness and suicidality associated with physical activity and sport participation. Methods: Data from the CDC's 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed. Logistic regression modeling was used to compare the odds of hopelessness and suicidality in students who engaged in various levels of physical activity to inactive students. Similar analyses were performed comparing risks of athletes to nonathletes, and the risks of highly involved athletes to nonathletes. Results: Findings showed that frequent, vigorous activity reduced the risk of hopelessness and suicidality among male adolescents. However, low levels of activity actually increased the risk of feeling hopeless among young females. Yet, for both males and females, sport participation protected against hopelessness and suicidality. Conclusion: These findings indicate that involvement in sport confers unique psychosocial benefits that protect adolescents against suicidality. Findings suggest that mechanisms other than physical activity contribute to the protective association between sport and reduced suicidality. Social support and integration may account for some of the differences found in suicidality between athletes and nonathletes. (Contains 5 tables.)

Sexuality education, part of the comprehensive school health education component of a Coordinated School Health Program, interests many health educators as well as special education teachers. In this study, Florida special educators reported their beliefs about teaching sexuality education to educable mentally disabled students, the range of sexuality topics they teach, and their professional preparation in sexuality education. Respondents (n = 494) completed a mailed instrument that included the 36 sexuality content areas identified by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. Respondents believed strongly that many of the sexuality topics and content areas should be taught to educable mentally disabled students. However, most reported delivering only a modest amount of sexuality education, and they rated their professional preparation as inadequate. Regression analyses documented that respondents' belie[s predicted the topics they actually taught within 5 of the 6 key concepts. This study supports collaboration between health educators" and special education teachers to adapt existing sexuality curricula for students with special needs, improve professional preparation of special education teachers to teach sexuality education, and to more effectively implement comprehensive school health education through the Coordinated School Health Program model to special education students.

Women's ability to affect their socioeconomic status (SES) has significant health consequences. Paid employment is an increasingly important factor in women's SES. This paper presents a historical overview of working women, challenges faced by women (including unique challenges for minority women), and strategies for rectifying these problems, suggesting that ultimately, changing the nature of paid employment for women will substantially improve their health. Implications for health education are noted. (SM)

Assessed the scope of sexuality education topics taught by high school teachers, utilizing the SIECUS Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education, noting teachers' rated importance of these topics. Surveys indicated that most teachers taught most of the topics recommended by the Guidelines. They rated most Guidelines topics as important to teach. However, numerous teachers omitted topics crucial to comprehensive sexuality education. (SM)

Used a national survey of school based health clinic directors to assess the success of clinics in terms of longevity and service delivery, testing factors, particularly political factors, thought to impinge upon their ability to function effectively. Results indicated that factors most consistently and significantly associated with success included both measures of need and measures of politics. (SM)

Investigated the extent to which Florida's school districts complied with the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) recommendations for addressing sexual harassment in schools. Surveys of district equity coordinators and analysis of policies indicated that most districts approved sexual harassment policies incorporating many FDOE recommendations. However, policies included only basic information when compared to suggestions from the literature. (SM)

Study used focus group interviews with ninth graders to help develop a nutrition education video and teacher's guide for Florida high schools. Students believed a video would be successful, expressed interest in 10 nutrition topics, recommended using teen actors with varying body types, and suggested no more than three or four topics per video. (SM)

A study tests the predictive power of African American political power and institutional perspectives as factors that influence African American municipal employment. It is seen that the African American political power works as a better explanation than institutional explanation as a predictor of African American employment in the public sector.

Studies that address African American labor market trends tend to focus on how blacks fare relative to whites, with little attention given to the job market performance of black women compared to black men. This empirical survey of 167 randomly-selected businesses in six Florida cities explores African American male and female employment and the independent factors that explain these employment levels. Findings indicate that black males are employed at slightly higher levels than black females, suggesting the double-disadvantage of race and sex discrimination confronting black women. Multivariate regression analysis utilizing demographic data and characteristics of the firms reveal that for black men, businesses that favor diversity in the workplace and support affirmative action are likely places of employment. Black women benefit more from national- or regional-based firms that promote a multicultural workforce., Scholars and policy-makers have a vested interest in assessing the trends, attitudes, and laws that affect how men and women and blacks and whites make a living. This research helps [...]

A study aims to examine data from 167 randomly selected businesses on the impact of affirmative action and white female employment in six representative Florida cities. It is found that white women are doing relatively well in the job market, but employer support for affirmative action has no significant influence on their employment even at higher jobs levels.

In what has sometimes provoked a 'culture war' over America's schools, gays and lesbians have sought an expanded voice in the making of education policy. This paper explores the factors that promote gay representation on school boards, how this variable in turn influences gay representation in both administrative and teaching positions, and how all three forms of gay representation relate to school board policies regarding sexual orientation education. Three of the four models drawn from the social movement literature help to explain gay school board representation. In a manner similar to other minority groups, gay representation on school boards directly or indirectly promotes the appointment of gays to administrative and teaching positions and the adoption of policies that address the problems faced by gay and lesbian students in the public schools. KEYWORDS. Elections, school board, teachers, youth, culture war, education policy, administrator

As a newly emergent political minority, lesbians and gay men have begun to seek representation in political office, particularly at the local level. Using a purposeful sample of 126 cities and counties, the authors explore openly gay candidacies for, and election to, public office in the early 1990s. They employed four theoretical models--urbanism/social diversity, resource mobilization, political opportunity structure, and communal protest--that have been useful in explaining African-American, Latino, and female electoral success. The nature and pattern of electoral activities of lesbians and gay men are similar to those of other disadvantaged minorities.

A radiolytic technique was employed to describe the exchange of hydrogen and deuterium between substituted arenium ions and various bases containing at least one hydrogen at the active site. The exchange of hydrogen and its isotope is dependent on both the arenium ion and the base. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis reveals that the protonation reaction involves the most basic ring positions.

Until recently, little attention has focused on the sexual harassment that occurs in primary and secondary schools. Several school-related lawsuits and study results heightened awareness of the issue. This study investigated the extent to which Florida's school districts complied with the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) recommendation and guidelines for addressing sexual harassment in schools. District equity coordinators were surveyed regarding policy development, implementation, promotion, education, and effects. Policies were collected for analysis. Most districts responded to the strong encouragement of the FDOE and approved a sexual harassment policy incorporating many of the suggested components. However, policies included only basic information when compared with suggestions from the literature. Results suggest problems with sexual harassment will continue due to lack of efforts in promoting awareness of the policy and education about the issue, which scholars insist are necessary for effectiveness. (J Sch Health. 1998;68(6):237-242), Sexual harassment 'is a form of sex discrimination, and is illegal as defined by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the [...]