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Sociodemographic Differences in Selected Eating Practices among Alternative High School Students

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2009.02.001Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

Students attending alternative high schools are an at-risk group of youth for poor health behaviors and obesity. However, little is known about their dietary practices.

Objective

To examine associations between sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and selected dietary practices, including consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat foods, and fruits and vegetables and fast-food restaurant use, among students attending alternative high schools.

Design

Population-based, cross-sectional study.

Subjects/setting

A convenience sample of adolescents (n=145; 52% men; 63% aged <18 years; and 39% white, 32% African American, and 29% other/multiracial) attending six alternative high schools in the St Paul/Minneapolis, MN, metropolitan area completed a survey. Students were participants in the Team COOL (Controlling Overweight and Obesity for Life) pilot study, a group randomized obesity prevention trial.

Statistical analyses performed

Descriptive statistics were used to describe dietary practices. Mixed model multivariate analyses were used to assess differences in dietary practices by sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Results

Regular soda was consumed at least five to six times per week by more than half of students. One half of students reported eating or drinking something from a fast-food restaurant at least three to four times a week. African-American students had the highest consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (P=0.025), high-fat foods (P=0.002), and highest frequency of fast-food restaurant use (P<0.025). Mean fruit/vegetable intake was 3.6 servings/day; there were no sociodemographic differences in fruit/vegetable consumption. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with a higher consumption of regular soda (P=0.027).

Conclusions

Racial/ethnic and sex differences in the consumption of regular soda, high-fat foods, and fast-food restaurant use among alternative high school students underscores the importance of implementing health promotion programs in alternative high schools.

Section snippets

Study Design

Our study utilized a cross-sectional design. Data for this study were collected as part of the Team COOL (Controlling Overweight and Obesity for Life) pilot study, an alternative school-based, multicomponent diet and physical activity intervention trial to promote healthful weight loss or prevent excess weight gain among alternative high school students. This study used baseline data collected in fall 2006 before randomization of schools to intervention and control conditions.

School and Student Sample

A convenience

Measures

The following dependent and independent variables were examined in this study.

Results

Among students, 52% were male and 63% were younger than 18 years (mean age 17.26 years; range 14.06 to 19.81 years). The racial/ethnic distribution was as follows: white 39%, African American 32%, and other 29%. Sixty-four percent of students were categorized as lower SES. Regular soda was consumed more than five to six times per week by more than one half of students (Table 1). Similarly, well more than one half of students consumed sports drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages at least

Discussion

This study examined differences in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat foods, fruits and vegetables, and fast-food restaurant use by sex, race/ethnicity, and SES among students attending alternative high schools. Similar to general adolescent populations, alternative high school students reported high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat foods, and low consumption of fruits and vegetables (6, 10, 28, 29). However, a higher percentage of alternative high school

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicated that students attending alternative high schools report many unhealthful dietary practices, with African-American students reporting higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat foods and fast-food restaurant use than students of other races. Unhealthful dietary practices are strongly correlated with an increased incidence of chronic disease and overweight that are prevalent among minorities. It is essential for nutrition and health

C. Arcan is a doctoral degree candidate, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

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  • Cited by (0)

    C. Arcan is a doctoral degree candidate, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

    M. Y. Kubik is an associate professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

    J. A. Fulkerson is an associate professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

    M. Story is a professor, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

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