Tag Archives: Nutrition

FOOD & NUTRITION

Posted on by

OVERVIEW

Ample consumption of fruits and vegetables is important for growth and development, as well as prevention of chronic disease.  Yet, few Americans eat enough of them to meet nutrition needs, and many Southern states report very low intake of fruits and vegetables.  Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables is consequently an important component in any attempt to improve the nutritional status and health of the population.  This goal is difficult to obtain without addressing the accessibility of fruits and … Read more...

Childhood Obesity in Mississippi: Prevalence and Trends

Posted on by

The Child and Youth Prevalence of Obesity Study (CAYPOS) has been conducted biennially from 2005 through 2017 by researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Jerome Kolbo.  The multi-year study uses school nurses to collect height and weight measurements on a representative sample of public school students statewide in grades K through 12 in order to determine the prevalence of obesity among public school students and examine trends.  One of the key findings of the … Read more...

Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act on Childhood Obesity

Posted on by

The Center for Mississippi Health Policy collaborated with researchers from three Mississippi universities — The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State University, and The University of Mississippi — to evaluate the impact of the 2007 Mississippi Healthy Students Act on childhood obesity in the state.  The research was funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Bower Foundation and was conducted from 2008 through 2012.  The final report, entitled Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act: Year … Read more...

Assessing the Impact of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act on Childhood Obesity: Year 3 Research

Posted on by

University of Southern Mississippi researchers have found a significant decline in the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among elementary age students in Mississippi public schools. The rate dropped from 43.0 percent in 2005 to 37.3 percent in 2011. Data from the 2011 Child and Youth Prevalence of Obesity Study (CAYPOS) also documented a significant drop in the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity for white students, but not for black students. Rates for all students in all grades have … Read more...