Qualitative Study on Health Self-Help Behavior of the Elderly in a Community

Objective:To investigate the current status quo of health self-help behavior of elderly in a community and its influencing factors using a semi-structured interview in a qualitative study.Methods:A phenomenological method is employed for purposive sampling and snowball sampling methods.The elderly(>60 years old),who had lived in the Minhang District of Shanghai for>5 years,with an annual residence duration≥10 months,were selected.Data were collected in person by a semi-structured and an in-depth interview;the topics were identified according to data arrangement,analysis,and coding.Results:A total of 10 subjects were enrolled,from Pujiang Town,Minhang District of Shanghai.The cohort constituted of 7 males and 3 females,aged 60-68 years,with an average of(63.40±9.19)years.After data arrangement and analysis,the following topics were obtained:(1)various forms of health self-help behaviors existed among elderly in the community;(2)some factors influenced the health self-help behavior among the elderly in the community;(3)a deviation was observed in the health self-help behavior among the elderly in the community.Conclusion:The health self-help behaviors of the elderly in the community should be rectified to carry out self and the environmental establishment of the health self-help behaviors of the elderly in the community,as well as,to guide and develop the personalized health self-help behavior program.

Research on the Improvement Path of the Mental Health of the Elderly From the Perspective of College Students’Volunteer Service Activities

The elderly are the main objects of college students’volunteer service activities.At present,there are various forms of college students’volunteer service activities,which are highly valued by colleges and universities and popular among college students.In order to further improve the mental health of the elderly,it could be achieved through paths like strengthening volunteering cooperation with aged services agencies,implementing the volunteer service mechanism of“one person-one file,one person-one policy”for the elderly,establishing a mental health mentor system for volunteer service activities,improving the mental health knowledge level of college student volunteers,carrying out a series of voluntary service activities with the theme of mental health,attaching importance on cultivating the positive and optimistic attitude of the elderly in volunteer service activities,and launching volunteer service activities to enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the elderly.

Effects of health concept model-based detailed behavioral care on mood and quality of life in elderly patients with chronic heart failure

BACKGROUND With the intensification of social aging,the susceptibility of the elderly population to diseases has attracted increasing attention,especially chronic heart failure(CHF)that accounts for a large proportion of the elderly.AIM To evaluate the application value of health concept model-based detailed behavioral care in elderly patients with CHF.METHODS This study recruited 116 elderly CHF patients admitted from October 2018 to October 2020 and grouped them according to the nursing care that they received.The elderly patients who underwent health concept model-based detailed behavioral care were included in a study group(SG;n=62),and those who underwent routine detailed behavioral nursing intervention were included as a control group(CG;n=54).Patients’negative emotions(NEs),quality of life(QoL),and nutritional status were assessed using the self-rating anxiety/depression scale(SAS/SDS),the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire(MLHFQ),and the Modified Quantitative Subjective Global Assessment(MQSGA)of nutrition,respectively.Differences in rehabilitation efficiency,NEs,cardiac function(CF)indexes,nutritional status,QoL,and nursing satisfaction were comparatively analyzed.RESULTS A higher response rate was recorded in the SG vs the CG after intervention(P<0.05).After care,the left ventricular ejection fraction was higher while the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension and left ventricular end systolic diameter were lower in the SG compared with the CG(P<0.05).The post-intervention SAS and SDS scores,as well as MQSGA and MLHFQ scores,were also lower in the SG(P<0.05).The SG was also superior to the CG in the overall nursing satisfaction rate(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Health concept model-based detailed behavioral care has high application value in the nursing care of elderly CHF patients,and it can not only effectively enhance rehabilitation efficiency,but also mitigate patients’NEs and improve their CF and QoL.

The Application of Theoretical Models in the Studies of Physical Activity Behaviors of the Elderly in China

By using the method of literature review, this paper introduces the popular theoretical models which have shown to better explain physical activity behaviors at a certain degree, summarizes the dominating theoretical models in the studies of physical activity behaviors of the elderly in China. In addition, shortcomings and future prospects are pointed out at the end.

Impact of Risk Perception about COVID-19 on the Coping Behavior of the Elderly:Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy

Objective:This study aimed to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy on the relationship between risk perception and the coping behavior of the elderly during the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.Methods:The study employed the convenience sampling method to select a total of 550 elderly from Chongqing,Chengdu and Luohe in China.A questionnaire composed of the perception scale,self-efficacy scale,and coping behavior scale was used to collect data.Results:Risk perception exerted a significantly direct effect on positive coping behavior and avoidant coping behavior.Moreover,it positively predicted the components of self-efficacy.In turn,self-efficacy positively predicted the components of positive coping behavior,which confirm that it plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between risk perception and positive coping behavior.Moreover,self-efficacy negatively predicted the components of avoidant coping behavior,which confirms that it also plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between risk perception and avoidant coping behavior.Conclusion:A simple mediation model revealed that self-efficacy partially mediated the direct and indirect effects of risk perception on coping behavior.Based on the results,the study recommended several countermeasures and suggestions for enhancing the positive coping behavior of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relationship between meeting the recommendations for physical activity and health-related quality of life in adult Chinese Internet users

Background: The benefits of a recommended level of physical activity on physiological health indicators such as morbidity and mortality are well-accepted, but few researches has addressed whether or not the association between the recommended level of physical activity and a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) exists in the Chinese adults. Purpose: The present study examined whether the recommended physical activity (PA) would be associated with HRQOL in the Chinese adults. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected through an internet-based survey. Total of 1394 Chinese adults responded the International Physical Activity Question- naire-Chinese version examining whether individuals met the recommended ACSM/AHA PA guideline. Demographic data were also obtained. HRQOL was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF- 36). Multivariate analyses of covariance were utilized to examine differences in multidimensional scales of the SF-36. Results: In both genders, the recommended group had significantly higher physical functioning, vitality, and mental health scores than the inactive group. Significant differences in role physical, general health, social functioning scores were only found among the recommended and insufficient male groups. Conclusion: Individuals who attained the recommended level of PA had better scores on some dimensions of HRQOL than those who did not.

Health behavior after intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Background: Pregnancy is an opportunity to adopt favorable health behaviors. We studied whether intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) promotes favorable health behavior in later life. Design: A prospective controlled cohort study. The method was a questionnaire survey in 2010 among 575 women with ICP and 1374 controls, all having delivered between the years 1969 and 1988 in Tampere University Hospital in Finland. Questionnaires were sent to 544 ICP patients and 1235 controls. Responses were received from 1178 (response rate 66.2%). The main outcome measures concerning recent or current health behavior were smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, body mass index (BMI) and special diet. Results: Current smoking was less common in the ICP group than among controls (10.5% vs 15.7%, p = 0.017). Assessed by smoking pack years there was a similar difference: in the ICP group 11.7% of women had at least 10 smoking pack years compared to 18.0% of the controls (p = 0.006). Recent alcohol consumption did not separate the two groups. The groups did not differ as to reported physical activity assessed in MET units. Fewer ICP women had had BMIs of 30 or more during pregnancy compared with controls (18.8% vs 25.1%, p = 0.023). In other points of life the BMI differences were not statistically significant. Weight-loss diet and gallbladder diet were more common in the ICP group (6.3% vs 3.6%, p = 0.044, and 3.0% vs 1.3%, p = 0.038). Conclusions: Having developed ICP two to four decades earlier seemed to constitute an effective intervention for smoking habits but not for other aspects of health behavior.

Shintaido in the elderly: The new way for physical and psychological health

The research aims to investigate the effects of a Shintaido practice in terms of physical and psychological functioning in a group of elderly. Forty seniors, of both gender, with a mean age of (69 ± 6) years, self-sufficient and without highly invalidating diseases participated in the study. The experimental group (EG) attended the Shintaido physical training of 20 weeks (1 hour per session, twice a week), while the control group (CG) maintained his usual routine. The exercise protocol included specific activities of joint mobility, balance and breathing. At the begin and at the end of intervention were administered to both groups the following validated instruments: 1) One-leg Stance test for the measure of monopodalic static balance;2) 6-Minutes Walking test for the endurance assessment;3) Self-Efficacy Perception in Physical Activity (APEF) questionnaire for the self- efficacy evaluation. Data were treated with the not-parametric test for paired and unpaired samples, the Spearman correlation and the linear regression. The results show that: 1) the EG improves the endurance in walking and the monopodalic balance as well as his self-efficacy after the Shintaido program;2) there are strong associations among Shintaido physical activity and physical/psychological variables;3) there is a mediating effect of walking endurance between the participation to Shintaido training and the self-efficacy. The results suggest that a well structured Shintaido training can help to maintain a good level of physical and psychological functioning in old people.

Intervention in the Loneliness of the Elderly What Strategies, Challenges and Rewards？

The new challenges that the phenomenon of demographic aging imposes on society in general, and health services in particular, can impact active and healthy aging. The project was implemented for two years （2012/2013） and aimed to combat loneliness in the elderly, which constitutes an obstacle to healthy and active aging. Decrease the sense of loneliness of individuals from 65 to 84 years of age, the project was made by using the health planning methodology, starting with a descriptive study （health diagnosis of the independent elderly population） followed by the development, implementation and evaluation of a community intervention project, which included home visits to the elderly, assessment of the level of loneliness in two different times （UCLA scale） and various intergenerational activities of social life （dancing, walking, online courses, games...） using a cross-section of partnerships and community involvement. There was a decrease from 62.8% to 41.9% in the reported overall feeling of loneliness of independent individuals between the ages of 65 and 84 years of age. There was an increase from 50.0% to 86.4% of seniors who now have dreams/life projects. The reduction of social and emotional isolation resulted in the promotion of social networks, which not only encouraged social interaction but also considered the elderly who live alone. The health gains arising from it are evidenced in contributing more proactively and the improvement of the quality of life in the elderly community.

A Study on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Influencing Factors in Elderly Diabetic Patients

Objective:To investigate the oral health related quality of life in elderly diabetic patients and analyze its influencing factors.Methods:Convenience sampling was used to select 190 elderly patients with diabetes under the Department of Endocrinology and Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University as the research subjects.The Chinese version of the Oral Health Influence Scale(OHIP-14)was used to conduct a questionnaire survey,and univariate analysis and multiple stepwise regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of oral health related quality of life in elderly diabetic patients.Results:The elderly diabetic patients'oral health related quality of life score was 34.48±3.23,which is in the middle-lower range.The findings of multivariate stepwise regression analysis revealed that the course of disease,regular visits to the dentist,sleep quality,oral health knowledge,and oral health attitude together explained 58.9%of the total variance in elderly diabetic patients in terms of their oral health related quality of life(p<0.05).Conclusion:The oral health related quality of life of elderly diabetic patients is generally low,and is affected by the duration of diabetes,sleep quality,and oral health knowledge,attitude,and behavior(regular visits to the dentist).Improving patientsJ attention to oral health problems by improving sleep as well as their own oral health knowledge,attitude,and behavior is an effective way to enhance oral health related quality of life.

Health benefits of traditional Chinese sports and physical activity for older adults: A systematic review of evidence

Background: Traditional Chinese sports and physical activities(PAs) have a long history and are practiced by millions of Chinese. However,relatively few systematic reviews of the scientific evidence for their health benefits, especially for older Chinese adults, have been undertaken.Evidence acquisition: Between January and March 2016, a systematic search was conducted using the CNKI and Pub Med databases to identify studies published between 2000 and 2015. Studies were selected for review if they were designed specifically to evaluate the health benefits of traditional Chinese sports and PAs in adults aged 50 years and older in the Mainland of China. The studies included observational, uncontrolled,and randomized and controlled designs. Papers published without an English title or abstract were excluded.Evidence synthesis: The initial search identified a total of 229 studies. After removing duplicates and studies that did not meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 95 studies were selected for review. Special attention was given to studies of the most commonly practiced activities: Tai Ji Quan,Qigong, and Yangko exercises. A positive association between these types of exercise and health benefits was noted for healthy older adults and those with chronic diseases. Evidence on other types of activities was less clear due to the limited number of studies conducted.Conclusion: There is promising evidence that traditional Chinese sports and PAs provide many health benefits for older Chinese adults. While additional scientifically rigorous research is warranted, promoting these traditional and culturally-based sports and PAs as forms of behavioral medicine in primary and secondary prevention of diseases among the aging Chinese population will help fulfill an urgent public health need.

Does knowledge of physical activity recommendations increase physical activity among Chinese college students？ Empirical investigations based on the transtheoretical model

Background: Based on the transtheoretical model, the current study investigated whether awareness of physical activity(PA) recommendations had an impact on the stages of PA behavior change and levels of PA among Chinese college students.Methods: In Study 1, with a cross-sectional study design, 9826 students were recruited, and their knowledge of international PA recommendations,PA stage distribution, and self-reported PA level were surveyed. Pearson's χ2 test was used to test whether those participants who were aware and not aware of PA guidelines were equally distributed across the stages of PA behavior, and independent t test was conducted to test the group difference in the actual levels of PA. In Study 2, 279 students who were not aware of the PA recommendations were randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a control group, and only those in the intervention group were presented with international PA guidelines. In both groups,students' PA stages and PA level were examined before the test and then 4 months post-test. Mc Nemar's test for correlated proportions and repeated-measures analysis of variance were conducted to examine the changes in PA stage membership and PA level after the intervention.Results: Study 1 results revealed that only 4.4% of the surveyed students had correct knowledge of PA recommendations. Those who were aware of the recommendations were in later stages of PA behavior(χ~2(4) = 167.19, p < 0.001). They were also significantly more physically active than those who were not aware of the recommendations(t(443.71) = 9.00, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.53). Study 2 results demonstrated that the intervention group participants who were at the precontemplation and contemplation stages at the pre-test each progressed further in the PA stages in the post-test(χ~2(1) = 112.06, p < 0.001; χ~2(1) = 118.76, p = 0.03, respectively), although no significant change in PA level was observed(t(139) < 1, p = 0.89).Conclusion: The results showed that awareness of the PA recommendations was associated with higher stages and levels of PA behavior, and a brief educational exposure to PA recommendations led to improved stages of PA behavior but no change in the levels of PA among Chinese college students. More effective public health campaign strategies are needed to promote the dissemination of the PA recommendations and to raise the awareness of the Chinese student population.

Six-year trends and intersectional correlates of meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines among South Korean adolescents:Korea Youth Risk Behavior Surveys,2013-2018

Background:Grounded in intersectionality theory,this study examined the 6-year prevalence trend and correlates in meeting Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines(Guidelines hereafter)in a nationally representative adolescent samples of South Korea(officially the Republic of Korea).Methods:Self-reported,annually repeated cross-sectional data collected between 2013 and 2018 were used(n=372,433,12-17 years old,47.9%females).Adolescents were categorized as meeting or not meeting different sets of physical activity,screen time(ST),and sleep recommendations within the Guidelines,separately for weekdays and weekend days.Intersectional correlates included sex and social class(i.e.,family economic status,parental education level,and academic performance).Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed.Results:Overall,the proportion of adolescents meeting physical activity,ST,and sleep recommendations were 5.3%,60.3%,and 10.2%on weekdays and 5.3%,28.2%,and 46.4%on weekend days,respectively.Between 2013 and 2018,no substantial changes were observed for meeting the physical activity or sleep recommendation,while meeting the ST recommendation was markedly lower in 2018.The proportion of meeting all 3 recommendations were 0.5%for weekdays and 0.8%for weekend days.Overall,compared to female adolescents,male adolescents were consistently associated with more favorable patterns of meeting different sets of recommendations,regardless of social class.Among females only,social class appeared to be not important or even detrimental in meeting different sets of recommendations.Being male,compounded with social class,was associated with meeting the ST recommendation.Conclusion:Less than 1%of Korean adolescents met the overall Guidelines.Intersectionality-based analysis and intervention may be important in promoting healthy active lifestyles among South Korean adolescents.

Physical functioning: The mediating effect on ADLs and vitality in elderly living in residential care facilities. “Act on ageing”: A pilot study

The present study aims at verifying whether participation in a physical activity programme has positive effects on the daily life autonomy and vitality of elderly people living in residential care facilities by the mediation of their physical well- being. Fifty-one institutionalised individuals took part in the study. The control group included 11 people (84.26, ± 7.4 years), whereas the experimental group was made up of 40 people (85 ± 6.6 years). The experimental group was involved in a physical activity programme twice a week. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire, the Activities of Daily Living Scale, and the Tinetti Test were administered to the participants. The linear regression method as well as Sobel’s formula were used for the analysis. The results show that participation in a physical activity programme has positive effects on autonomy in bathing and on the participants’ sense of vitality due to the mediation of physical functioning. These results confirm the importance of physical activity for the elderly populations living in residential care facilities.

Identifying and Measuring Multilevel Influences on College-Aged Athletes’ Multiple Health Behavior: A Pilot Study

The current study gathered preliminary data relative to the influences on intercollegiate athletes’ multiple health behavior. A secondary objective was to inform future measurement of identified factors. A sample of 20 intercollegiate athletes participated in an open-ended survey, followed by a corresponding focus groups (≈90-minute). Qualitative data were gathered relative to the factors impacting athletes’ excessive alcohol intake, fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), and maintenance of physical activity after college. In general, participating athletes reported influences within their social and physical environments (friends, bar accessibility, etc.) as the leading enablers of their excessive alcohol intake, while individual level influences were the most salient reasons not to drink excessively (responsibilities, health, etc.). Individual characteristics (taste preference, health, and expense) and the physical environment (availability and accessibility) were reported as the most salient levels of influence on athletes’ FVC. And when anticipating future maintenance of physical activity, athletes mostly reported individual level influences (outcome expectation, intrinsic motivation, etc.), with mention of family and friend influences. An in-depth comparison of current outcomes to similar research among young adult and athlete populations is provided, including validated measurement scales and future research suggestions. Current results provide an essential foundation for progressive research examinations among similar populations.

Association between Meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Psychological Features of Chinese Emerging Adults

Background:Emerging adulthood is a pivotal life stage,presenting significant psychological and social changes,such as decreased sociability,depression,and other mental health problems.Previous studies have associated these changes with an unhealthy lifestyle.The 24-h movement guidelines for healthy lifestyles have been developed to promote appropriate health behaviors and improve individual wellness.However,the relationship between adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines and different characteristics of Chinese emerging adults is yet to be explored.This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines and four characteristics(self-exploration,instability,possibilities,and responsibility)of Chinese emerging adults.Methods:Overall,1,510 Chinese emerging adults aged 18–29 years were included in this study.Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire that included questions on adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines(physical activity,sedentary behavior,and sleep)and the inventory of dimensions of emerging adulthood.Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate the associations between adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines and each of the four characteristics.Results:The proportion of participants who adhered to the 24-h movement guidelines was 31.72%.Multiple regression analysis revealed a significantly negative relationship between adhering to more guidelines and instability(β=−0.51,p<0.001).A statistically significant association was observed between instability and meeting only sedentary behavior(β=−1.27,95%confidence interval[CI]:[−2.32,−0.24],p=0.02),sedentary behavior+sleep(β=−1.30,95%CI:[−2.24,−0.35],p<0.01),and physical activity+sedentary behavior(β=−1.08,95%CI:[1.94,−0.21],p=0.02)guidelines.Further,positive and significant associations were observed between possibilities and meeting the guidelines for only physical activity(β=0.70,95%CI:[0.14,1.27),p=0.01),only sleep(β=0.61,95%CI:[0.01,1.21],p=0.04),physical activity+sedentary behavior(β=0.56,95%CI:[0.04,1.07),p=0.01),and physical activity+sleep(β=0.76,95%CI:[0.23,1.27],p=0.01).Conclusions:These findings suggest that adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines was associated with instability in Chinese emerging adults.Future studies are warranted to verify our findings to highlight the importance of maintaining a heath lifestyle to promote health in emerging adulthood.

Understanding Chinese international college and university students' physical activity behavior

Objective： To examine factors of the youth physical activity promotion （YPAP） model that are associated with Chinese international students＇ meeting PA recommendations （MPAR）. Methods： A total of 649 （females = 320, males = 329） Chinese international college students participated in the study. This study was conducted in the United States （US.） between June and August in 2011. Participants completed an online survey regarding their demographic, PA, predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors. Results： Logistic nested-regression analysis suggested that being male, having a higher body mass index, perceived competence, self-efficacy, attitude, and enjoyment all increased （p 〈 0.001） the participants＇ odds of MPAR. Except language barriers, all of the enabling and reinforcing factors predicted MPAR indirectly through the predisposing factors （p 〈 0.001）. Conclusion： Understanding factors that influence PA among Chinese international students is an important step in the process of promoting their long-term health and wellbeing. Designing program that address the identified key factors may help colleges and universities achieve this goal.

Walking for health during pregnancy:A literature review and considerations for future research

Walking is the most commonly chosen type of physical activity(PA)during pregnancy and provides several health benefits to both mother and child.National initiatives have promoted the importance of walking in general,but little emphasis is directed toward pregnant women,the majority of whom are insufficiently active.Pregnant women face a variety of dynamic barriers to a physically active lifestyle,some of which are more commonly experienced during specific times throughout the pregnancy experience.Walking is unique in that it appears resistant to a number of these barriers that limit other types of PA participation,and it can be meaningfully integrated into some transportation and occupational activities when leisure-time options are unavailable.Preliminary intervention work suggests that walking programs can be effectively adopted into a typical pregnancy lifestyle.However,a great deal of work remains to administer successful pregnancy walking interventions,including developing and using validated methods of PA and walking assessment.This narrative review discusses the unique advantages of walking during pregnancy,provides recommendations for future intervention work,and outlines the need for pregnancy-focused community walking initiatives.Standard search procedures were followed to determine sources from the literature specific to walking during pregnancy for use in each section of this review.

Using Teacher Goal Boards to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Elementary Students

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility and understand the potential impact on elementary students’ perceptions of, and intentions related to, healthy eating and physical activity when their classroom teacher sets and shares goals related to these health behaviors. Methods: Participants in this study included 16 teachers and 229 students of grades 3 - 6 at a large elementary school in the Western United States. Participating students were surveyed before and after a six-week intervention conducted by classroom teachers that consisted of a weekly displaying of Teacher Goal Boards in a prominent classroom location and sharing of goals set for the week. Teacher reports of the previous week’s goals occurred each Monday prior to sharing and posting of new goals for the new week. Results: Respondents reported significantly higher post-test values for over half of pre-post comparisons. Respondents were more likely to intend to be physically active (post = 52.6% vs. pre = 39.0%, p = 0.003), to eat nutritious foods (52.0% vs. 36.4%, p = 0.001), and to maintain a healthy body weight (62.8% vs. 52.2%, p = 0.022). Similar results were found for summary measures. Intention to be physically active, to eat healthy, to maintain a healthy weight, as well as descriptive norms for physical activity and perception and value of personal health behaviors were all significantly higher at post-test. Discussion: This study and its findings are significant because teacher participants were able to significantly and positively impact on students’ behavioral intent, subjective norms, and perception and value of personal health behaviors amongst students without spending additional time on formal health promotion and education instruction. Conclusion: Schools should incentivize and encourage faculty and staff to engage in a variety of health behaviors to improve both personal health outcomes and role model health behaviors for students.

Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity among Adolescents in a Creative, Problem-Solving Program

Certain dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors have been studied extensively and consistently have been found to be associated with childhood overweight and obesity Productive sedentary-to-light activity pursuits may enhance the relationship among positive health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a population of adolescents participating in a creative, problem-solving afterschool program and to identify the physical activity, sedentary, and dietary behaviors related to overweight and obesity in this group. This study describes health behaviors thought to be related to weight status for 1679 adolescents in grades 6 12 participating in a competitive, creative, team-oriented, problem-solving afterschool program. Self-reported dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behavior data were collected in this convenience sample based on the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Measured height and weight data were collected to calculate BMI percentile. Using multinomial regression, models were constructed to predict the likelihood of being classified as overweight/obese. The prevalence of overweight in the study population was 15.6%, obese was 11.4%. Fruit/vegetable intake, milk consumption, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, television time, and total screen time were all independently associated with weight status. After controlling for all covariates, male gender, minority racial/ethnic status, and high screen time while not meeting the physical activity recommendation significantly increased the likelihood of overweight/obesity. The participants in the current study are leaner and engage in healthier behaviors compared to national data for adolescents. The interactive variable combining both sedentary and PA measures is a relatively new technique used to provide a better understanding of the relationship between sedentary and physical activity behaviors as they relate to weight status. Even among healthy eating, physically active, low-risk adolescents, the interactive variable of physical activity and screen time strongly was associated with weight status.