Abstract
Given the increased prevalence of pediatric obesity and risk of developing chronic disease, there has been great interest in preventing these conditions during childhood by focusing on healthy lifestyle habits, including nutritious eating and physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between PA, body mass index (BMI) and food choices in adolescent males and females. This cross-sectional study, using a survey questionnaire, evaluated 1212 Southern Californian adolescents’ self-reported PA, BMI and food frequency. Results revealed that even though males are more active than females, they have higher BMI percentile values (p < 0.05). Females consumed salad, vegetables and fruit more frequently than males (p < 0.05), where males consumed hamburgers, pizza, red meat, processed meat, eggs, fish, fruit juice, soda and whole milk more frequently than females (p < 0.05). Overweight/obese teens consumed red meat, processed meat and cheese more frequently than healthy weight teens (p < 0.05), yet there was no difference in PA between healthy and overweight/obese teens. These results demonstrate that higher levels of PA may not counteract an unhealthy diet. Even though PA provides numerous metabolic and health benefits, this study suggests that healthy food choices may have a protective effect against overweight and obesity. Healthy food choices, along with PA, should be advocated to improve adolescent health by encouraging maintenance of a healthy weight into adulthood.
Acknowledgements
The authors of this study would like to thank Professor Lenore Monk for editing the manuscript and SDSU NUTR 302L students for data collection.
Declaration of interest: Authors disclose no conflict of interest.
References
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©2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
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- Promoting physical activity and improving dietary quality of Singaporean adolescents: effectiveness of a school-based fitness and wellness program
- What makes young people tick? A qualitative analysis of the beliefs and perceptions of school aged children towards PE and healthy living in “the sickest area of Europe”
- Relationship between childhood bullying and addictive and anti-social behaviors among adults in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional national study
- Fitness, body composition and vascular health in adolescent and young adult survivors of paediatric brain cancer and cranial radiotherapy
- Perception of victims of rape and perception of gender social roles among college students in Southwest Nigeria: validation of a 5-item gender scale
- “Konkoor Giant”, a narrative of high school female students from Gorgan, Iran
- The diurnal pattern of salivary IL-1β in healthy young adults
- The effect of group counseling based on self-awareness skill on sexual risk-taking among girl students in Gorgan, Iran: a randomized trial
- Associations between health-related quality of life and body mass index in Portuguese adolescents: LabMed physical activity study
- Relationships between physical activity, food choices, gender and BMI in Southern Californian teenagers
- Math anxiety in Thai early adolescents: a cognitive-behavioral perspective
- Attitudes and behaviors related to distracted driving in college students: a need for interventions in adolescence
Articles in the same Issue
- Editorial
- Wilson’s disease: the eponymous eminence of careful cognizance!
- Review
- Emphysematous infections of the urinary tract – an audit of 20 patients with review of literature
- Original Articles
- The theoretical underpinnings of Internet addiction and its association with psychopathology in adolescence
- Promoting physical activity and improving dietary quality of Singaporean adolescents: effectiveness of a school-based fitness and wellness program
- What makes young people tick? A qualitative analysis of the beliefs and perceptions of school aged children towards PE and healthy living in “the sickest area of Europe”
- Relationship between childhood bullying and addictive and anti-social behaviors among adults in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional national study
- Fitness, body composition and vascular health in adolescent and young adult survivors of paediatric brain cancer and cranial radiotherapy
- Perception of victims of rape and perception of gender social roles among college students in Southwest Nigeria: validation of a 5-item gender scale
- “Konkoor Giant”, a narrative of high school female students from Gorgan, Iran
- The diurnal pattern of salivary IL-1β in healthy young adults
- The effect of group counseling based on self-awareness skill on sexual risk-taking among girl students in Gorgan, Iran: a randomized trial
- Associations between health-related quality of life and body mass index in Portuguese adolescents: LabMed physical activity study
- Relationships between physical activity, food choices, gender and BMI in Southern Californian teenagers
- Math anxiety in Thai early adolescents: a cognitive-behavioral perspective
- Attitudes and behaviors related to distracted driving in college students: a need for interventions in adolescence