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This randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of a family‐based and mobile‐assisted lifestyle intervention in reducing weight gain among school‐age children with overweight and obesity. A total of 164 school‐age children with overweight or obesity and their parents were randomized to the treatment intervention (n = 82) or an attention‐control group (n = 82). The treatment intervention included three face‐to‐face education sessions, augmented by monthly text messages sent to parents on their mobile devices. The primary outcome was child BMI‐for‐age z‐score. Secondary outcomes included child BMI, percent body fat, and actigraphy‐assessed sleep as well as parental sleep quality. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months after the intervention, with treatment effects analyzed using general linear models for repeated measures. Our results showed that children in the treatment intervention group had significantly lower BMI‐for‐age z score, BMI, and percent body fat than did those in the control group, with an adjusted mean difference of 0.31 units (95% CI: −0.59 to −0.03; p = 0.03), 1.34 kg/m² (95% CI, −2.42 to −0.26; p = 0.01), and 3.12% (95% CI, −5.93 to −0.30; p = 0.03), respectively. No treatment effects were observed for child and parental sleep. Our findings suggest that family‐based and mobile‐assisted lifestyle intervention results in significant and sustained benefits to enhanced weight management for school‐age children with overweight and obesity. Nurses planning and delivering childhood overweight and obesity treatment interventions should consider a family‐based approach with the assistance of mobile devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to investigate factors associated with health-related behavior clusters amongst emerging adults in Taiwan. We employed data from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey in Taiwan and restricted the study sample to respondents aged 18–25 (n = 2,636). We analyzed the factors associated with three health-related behavior clusters, labeled 'smoking-drinking', 'unbalanced diet' and 'health consciousness' identified in a previous study. We performed multinomial logistic regression by controlling demographic, socioeconomics, disease knowledge, and medical history. Compared with the 'health-consciousness' cluster, the 'smoking-drinking' cluster was mostly comprised of men who were married, non-students, residents of low-income regions, and those earning a high income; by contrast, the 'unbalanced diet' cluster was mostly comprised of women in their late teens, residing in more affluent areas, and whose incomes ranged up to NT$20,000. Our study identified sociodemographic factors that are associated with unhealthy clusters, thus providing relevant evidence for designing tailor-made health promotion programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop and refine an Athlete Food Choice Questionnaire (AFCQ) to determine the key factors influencing food choice in an international cohort of athletes. A questionnaire that contained 84 items on a 5-point frequency scale was developed for this study. Athletes at the 2017 Universiade, in Taiwan, were invited to participate. Principal component analysis was utilized to identify key factors and to refine the questionnaire. Completed questionnaires were received from 156 athletes from 31 countries and 17 sports. The principal component analysis extracted 36 items organized into nine factors explaining 68.0% of variation. The nine factors were as follows: nutritional attributes of the food, emotional influences, food and health awareness, influence of others, usual eating practices, weight control, food values and beliefs, sensory appeal, and performance. The overall Kaiser--Meyer--Olkin measure was 0.75, the Bartlett test of sphericity was statistically significant, χ2(666) = 2,536.50, p < .001, and all of the communalities remained >0.5. Intercorrelations were detected between performance and both nutritional attributes of the food and weight control. The price of food, convenience, and situational influences did not form part of the factorial structure. This research resulted in an AFCQ that includes factors specific to athletic performance and the sporting environment. The AFCQ will enable researchers and sports dietitians to better tailor nutrition education and dietary interventions to suit the individual or team. The next phase will test the accuracy and reliability of the AFCQ both during and outside of competition. The AFCQ is a useful tool to assist with management of performance nutrition for athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which contributes to the worldwide mortality rate. Successful blood pressure control requires adherence to medications and lifestyle modifications. However, motivating patients with primary hypertension to change and sustain behaviors long‐term is challenging. A web‐based self‐care program centered on self‐efficacy theory could provide feedback for effective control of blood pressure. Purpose: To examine the effect of a web‐based self‐care program for patients with primary hypertension on cardiovascular risk‐factors (pulse pressure and lipids), self‐efficacy, and self‐care behaviors (medication adherence and lifestyle). Design A two‐armed randomized controlled trial with 3‐month and 6‐month follow‐ups. Setting and Participants: A total of 222 patients with primary hypertension were recruited between February 2017 and August 2018 at a cardiology clinic of a medical center in Taipei, Taiwan. Methods: Eligible patients were randomized by permuted block randomization into the intervention group (n = 111) and control group (n = 111). Patients in the intervention group received a 6‐month web‐based self‐care program, based on the theory of self‐efficacy, while patients in the control group received usual care. Baseline and outcome measures (3 and 6 months) included self‐efficacy, evaluated with the Chinese version of the 6‐item Self‐Efficacy for Managing Chronic Diseases (SEMC6), self‐care, using subscales of the Hypertension Self‐Care Activity Level Effects Scale (H‐SCALE) for lifestyle and medication adherence, and blood pressure and serum lipid data, collected through web‐based self‐reports and chart review. Generalized estimating equations evaluated the effects of the intervention. Findings At baseline, the control group had higher scores on the SEMC6, and lower cholesterol (HDL) compared with the intervention group (t = −2.70, p < 0.05; and t = 1.76, p < 0.05, respectively). Pulse pressure decreased significantly (β = −20.30, 95% CI −23.76, −16.83), and serum triglycerides and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly lower compared with controls at 6 months (all p < 0.001). At 6 months, the intervention group had significantly higher mean scores for the SEMC6 compared with the control group (β = 21.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 19.25, 24.42) and H‐SCALE subscale for medication adherence, diet, weight management, and physical activity compared with controls at 6 months (all, p < 0.001). Conclusions and clinical relevance: The greatest benefit of this program was allowing participants to immediately consult with the researchers about self‐care issues via the website. Lifestyles vary from person to person; therefore, the individuality of each participant was considered when providing feedback. We provided devising interventions for participants that would increase their confidence in self‐care for hypertension and ultimately achieve home blood pressure control. We encourage incorporating this program into standard clinical care for patients with hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of obesity was increasing globally, with nearly half a billion of the world's population now considered to be overweight or obese. The immature poken (Citrus reticulata) was a good source of flavonoids and phenolic acids, which may exert an anti-obesity effect. However, the current efficacy in clinical trials was still unclear. Thus, the object of this study was to explore whether immature poken had an anti-obesity effect in the clinical trial. In this study, we identified nine major compounds from immature poken extract (IPE), and most compounds significantly decreased the lipid accumulation in adipocytes. In addition, 20 subjects with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 24 or body fat > 30 were recruited and randomly allocated to placebo and experimental (IPE) groups for 6 week intervention and 2 week follow-up. In comparison with the baseline results (week 0), the body weight, body fat, and waist circumference at week 6 in the IPE group were significantly decreased by 1.49 kg, 0.33%, 2.1 cm. Moreover, in blood biochemical analysis, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), fasting blood sugar (FBS), and insulin levels at week 6 in IPE group were also decreased by 3.6, 4.6, 2.1 (mg/dL), and 2.9 (μU/mL), respectively. The finding showed that immature poken had important roles in fat metabolism by suppressing adipogenesis, and immature poken may provide new weight loss strategies for obese people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A health belief model is used to evaluate people's beliefs about health problems and predict engagement in health-promoting behaviors. Overweight and obesity are health problems that could be corrected by healthier diet. Eighty-seven employees of the Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital participated in a month-long program that offered 500-calorie vegetarian meals. The health belief model questionnaire was designed and administered. Body composition (weight, body mass index, body fat, body water, and muscle mass) was measured weekly. Additionally, the number of meals taken and visits to nutrition consultants were analyzed. Overall, a higher perceived susceptibility was related to a decrease in weight, body fat, and muscle. Higher perceived benefits or higher perceived barriers were both related to a decrease in weight and body fat, but to an increase in body water and muscle. In the overweight or obese group, a significant correlation was found between perceived barriers and weight. No significant relationship was found between the health belief model and the total number of meals or number of visits to nutrition consultants. Perceived benefits and barriers were significantly related to changes in weight, body fat, body water, and muscle. With vegetarian meal plans as the cue for action, the health belief model can be utilized to predict changes in body composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research of mobile health application interventions has attracted much interest from practitioners and scholars. There is a relative paucity of research investigating the factors influencing consumers to use a health chatbot for weight and health management. This study utilized the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model as the theoretical basis and extended it with personal innovativeness and network externality to investigate the predominant factors affecting one's intention to use a health chatbot. Materials and Methods: An online survey was carried out for people aged≥20 years throughout Taiwan from 23 November to 30 December, 2019. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Results: In total, 415 responses were analyzed. Our proposed model explained 87.1% of the variance in behavioral intention. Among eight factors, five of the factors were found to be the significant predictors of intention to use a health chatbot. Gender and experience were seen to exert a moderating effect on some of the relationships hypothesized in our research model, whereas education, chronic conditions, BMI, and age did not play a significant role. This study provides academics, health professionals, and practitioners with insights into the factors influencing the acceptance and use of a health chatbot. In the future, researchers could extend the model to investigate the effects of user intention on actual use behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Weight control is a widespread phenomenon among young adults, especially in women. Aim: This study aimed to determine the prediction factors of weight control intention in a young Chinese sample. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted with 963 (276 male and 687 female; mean age 21.8 ± 4.4 years) adult students from a university in Taiwan. The data were collected from October 2016 to January 2017. Body mass index (BMI), the Chinese version of the Weight Self‐Stigma Questionnaire, the Body Areas Satisfaction Scale and the Media Influence Questionnaire were used as data collection instruments. Results: The participants with weight control intention had higher BMI, weight self‐stigma and media influence scores and lower body satisfaction scores than those without the intention. Female sex, BMI, weight self‐stigma, body satisfaction and media influence were significant predictors of weight control intention for all participants. Conclusion: Before conducting weight loss programmes, the perception of weight self‐stigma and the influence of social media on body image should be confirmed, particularly in women with intention to lose weight. SUMMARY STATEMENT: What is already known about this topic? Weight loss is a popular issue in the health field, owing to the effect of obesity on multiple aspects of life.Females have a higher intention than males to control their weight.People with obesity are more likely to internalize weight stigma from public attitudes and influences and are more dissatisfied than others with their body appearance. What this paper adds? Females have a higher perception of weight self‐stigma and are more dissatisfied than males with their body and the influence of social media on body image.The Chinese young adults with weight control intention had a higher body mass index, weight self‐stigma, body dissatisfaction and media influence than adults without weight control intention.Weight self‐stigma, body dissatisfaction, influence of mass media and body mass index may play synergistic roles in triggering weight control intention in Chinese young adults, particularly in women. The implications of this paper Nurses should pay attention to young adult females with normal BMI and intention to lose weight.Nurses and other healthcare professionals who conduct weight loss programmes should confirm with young adults, particularly with women, their perception of weight self‐stigma, body dissatisfaction and social media influence.Healthy and non‐prejudiced advice should be included in weight loss consultation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between metabolically healthy obesity and cardiovascular disease risk in Taiwanese individuals. Methods: Taiwanese individuals were recruited from a nationwide, representative community-based prospective cohort study and classified according to body mass index as follows: normal weight (18.5–23.9 kilogram (kg)/meter(m)2) and obesity/overweight (≥24 kg/m2). Participants without diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia and who did not meet the metabolic syndrome without waist circumference criteria were considered metabolically healthy. The study end points were cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were obtained from a Cox regression analysis. Results: Among 5 358 subjects (mean [standard deviation] age, 44.5 [15.3] years; women, 48.2%), 1 479 were metabolically healthy with normal weight and 491 were metabolically healthy with obesity. The prevalence of metabolically healthy obesity/overweight was 8.6% in the Taiwanese general population, which included individuals who were >20 years old, not pregnant, and did not have CVD (n = 5,719). In the median follow-up period of 13.7 years, 439 cardiovascular disease events occurred overall and 24 in the metabolically healthy obesity group. Compared with the reference group, the metabolically healthy obesity group had a significantly higher cardiovascular disease risk (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 2.99). Conclusions: Individuals with metabolically healthy obesity have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and require aggressive body weight control for cardiovascular disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Study location may cause a different type of socio-demographic, body mass index (BMI), study intensity and food-related behavior. The increasing number of Indonesia students who study abroad to Taiwan is interesting to be examined those factors related. The purpose of this study is to examine the food-related behavior of Indonesian college students in different study location. Design/methodology/approach: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to administer questionnaires assessing socio-demographic, BMI, study intensity, meal preparations, food access and eating behavior of Indonesian college students (n = 493). Study location took in two cities and different countries (Indonesia and Taiwan). Analysis statistics was using frequency descriptive, Chi-square test, Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test and Logistic regression. Findings: The trend showed students who lived in Malang tended to have healthier eating behavior. Students tended to have a higher prevalence of low study intensity, dependent meal preparation and difficult food access in Taipei. There was a significant relationship between study location and study intensity (p < 0.01), study location and BMI (p < 0.01), study location and meal preparation (p < 0.01), study location and food access (p = 0.02). On the other hand, eating behavior had no significant relationship with study location (p = 0.28). Marital status became the most dominant variable in influencing obesity (OR = 0.198). Findings indicate that there are significant differences between study location with marital status, BMI, study intensity, meal preparation and food access, but not eating behavior. Moreover, married status is most influencing to obesity risk. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of this research were data of height and weight was not be measured directly. Moreover, the reliability of the instrument was unexpected. In the future, research needs improvement more sample for fixing it. Moreover, to support initiatives to incorporate eating behavior into body weight management strategies may be needed. The implications are to create an effective nutrition education for Indonesian college students. Hopefully, it will be influencing public attitudes and affecting the quality of life. Practical implications: Further investigation should consider longitudinal studies to explore the different effects of eating behavior on overweight and obesity. Nutritional education programs should give to young adults not only in developed but also in developing countries. Originality/value: This paper shows our findings about the difference study location that may cause a different type of eating behavior. The research subject was Indonesian college students who live and study in two cities, Malang-Indonesia and Taipei-Taiwan. The trend showed students who live in Malang tend to have healthier eating behavior. On the other hand, study intensity, meal preparation and food access were significantly different in both cities. Indonesian college students in Taipei tended to have the higher prevalence of low study intensity, dependent meal preparation and difficult food access. The authors believe that the findings would appeal to a broad audience, especially for improving meal preparation in college students who study abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of lorcaserin on body weight, cardiovascular risk factors, and safety in obese patients in Taiwan. Methods In this double-blind, randomised controlled trial, 171 obese adults were assigned to receive lorcaserin at a dose of 10 mg, or placebo, twice a day for 24 weeks. Diet and exercise counselling were given to all patients through the treatment period. Primary outcomes were proportion of patients achieving at least 5% and 10% reduction in body weight and mean change in body weight. Safety and tolerability endpoints such as Beck Depression Inventory-II, blood biochemistry, vital signs, and electrocardiogram were monitored. Results More patients receiving lorcaserin lost at least 5% body weight than receiving placebo (52.4% and 28.1%, P = 0.001) with an average weight reduction of 5.8 kg (95% CI: −6.91, −4.70) in lorcaserin group and those of 3.6 kg (95% CI: −4.95, −2.33) in placebo group (P < 0.05). The most common adverse effect with greater incidence in the lorcaserin group was self-limited dizziness. Serious adverse effect were rare and was reported by slightly more patients taking placebo than lorcaserin. Conclusions In this multicentre, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, lorcaserin was effective and well-tolerable in Asia group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Objective Develop/validate a weight-specific health literacy instrument. Methods The development of weight-specific health literacy measurement consisted of seven phases: (a) a literature review; (b) consultation with weight management experts; (c) generation of an item pool; (d) selection of items via the Delphi method; (e) pilot testing; (f) a national survey; and (g) examination of the psychometric properties of the results. Results A random sample of 362 Taiwanese adults completed the face-toface survey. The results of factor analysis indicated reasonable good fit of a 2-factor model ( χ 2 /df = 1.1, p = 0.18; RMSEA = 0.02, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99). Construct validity testing showed that the both factors were significantly correlated with s-MHLS ( γ = 0.71, p < 0.001; γ = 0.22, p < 0.001), comprehension ( γ = 0.32, p < 0.001: γ = 0.10, p < 0.05), and writing ( γ = 0.44, p < 0.001: γ = 0.11, p < 0.05). Predictive validity testing showed that the first factor had significant correlations with weight management efficacy ( γ = 0.16, p < 0.001), and three weight management behaviors. The second factor was significantly correlated with weight management efficacy ( γ = 0.11, p < 0.05) but not with the 3 weight management behaviors. Conclusions On the basis of the psychometric results, we conclude that the final version of Weight-Specific Health Literacy Instrument (WSHLI) includes the 13 items. It is a valid and reliable tool for weight management research and evaluation in Mandarin Chinese speaking populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent obesity is a crucial public health concern, and understanding its risk factors can facilitate the establishment of prevention policies. In this study we investigated the prevalence of adolescent obesity in Taiwan, determined the influential factors, and compared the prevalence of obesity in our study population with international indices. The cross‐sectional study was an analysis of data from the 2010–2011 Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan, an anthropometric measurement and questionnaire survey of adolescents aged 11–18 years. Our sample was 1,826 adolescents (910 males and 916 females). Data were analyzed using logistic regression modeling. Based on body mass index standards specific to Taiwan norms, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Taiwan adolescents was 12.4% and 16.8%, respectively. The prevalence was lower when international indices of overweight and obesity were applied. In logistic regression, obesity was linked to male gender, an obese father, overweight or obese mother, poor dietary attitudes, and perceived low dietary benefits. Monitoring and preventing adolescent obesity should focus on both adolescents and their parents. When planning behavioral change and education for adolescent obesity, health professionals and policy‐makers should view the family as a unit. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and adolescents tend to lose weight, which may be associated with misperceptions of weight. Previous studies have emphasized establishing correlations between eating disorders and an overestimated perception of body weight, but few studies have focused on an underestimated perception of body weight. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between misperceptions of body weight and weight-related risk factors, such as eating disorders, inactivity, and unhealthy behaviors, among overweight children who underestimated their body weight. We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study between December 1, 2006 and February 15, 2007. A total of 29,313 children and adolescents studying in grades 4-12 were enrolled in this nationwide, cross-sectional survey, and they were asked to complete questionnaires. A multivariate logistic regression using maximum likelihood estimates was used. The prevalence of body weight misperception was 43.2% (26.4% overestimation and 16.8% underestimation). Factors associated with the underestimated perception of weight among overweight children were parental obesity, dietary control for weight loss, breakfast consumption, self-induced vomiting as a weight control strategy, fried food consumption, engaging in vigorous physical activities, and sleeping for >8 hours per day (odds ratios=0.86, 0.42, 0.88, 1.37, 1.13, 1.11, and 1.17, respectively). In conclusion, the early establishment of an accurate perception of body weight may mitigate unhealthy behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the efficacy of a family-based (FB) weight-loss and behavior-modification intervention among overweight/obese children (age 9–11 years) and their parents in Taiwan. The intervention group (52 child–parent dyads) participated in an FB program for 7 weeks. The control group (55 child–parent dyads) received an educational pamphlet about obesity prevention. The children’s body mass index (BMI) z-scores were the primary outcome variable. The parents’ BMI, high-calorie (HC) food-intake behaviors, screen-related behaviors, and restrictions on children’s consumption of HC foods and screen-related behaviors and the availability of HC foods at home were the secondary outcome variables. Outcome variables were measured at baseline (T0), at the end of the intervention (T1), and 4 weeks after the end of the intervention (T2). A linear mixed model was used to assess the efficacy of the FB program. Results indicated that the children’s BMI z-scores decreased significantly more from T0 to T2 in the experimental group than in the control group. The decreases in parents’ HC food-intake behaviors and availability of HC foods at home and the increase in parental restrictions on children’s consumption of HC foods were significantly greater in the experimental than in the control group from T0 to T1 and T0 to T2. The FB program was effective in modifying parental behaviors and the weight of overweight/obese children in a Taiwanese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of weight loss to overweight and obese adolescent girls in Taiwan. It highlights several factors associated with obesity including sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy weight-control behavior, eating disorder and low level of physical activity. It also details several complex factors for health-related consequences of obese adolescence which include physchological, socioeconomic and genetic issues.

In investigating the association between the school lunch programs and children's body weight, this study focuses on the school lunch programs in Taiwan. Using a national representative dataset of elementary schoolchildren, we estimate a mixed multinomial logit model to cope with the potential endogeneity issue, and examine how different types of food preparations for school meal programs may affect children's weight in different ways. The results indicate that children who go to schools which serve lunch meals prepared by school kitchens tend to have lower weight on average. In contrast, children who go to schools offering lunch boxes purchased from outside restaurants tend to have higher weight on average. From a policy standard point of view, our findings could shed some light on how school lunch policy can be designed to help prevent children's obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-monitoring is part of many weight-loss programs and Is widely accepted as effective. However, there is a lack of research related to the efficacy of various self-monitoring instruments In meeting the needs of individuals with limited mobility or access to healthcare providers, especially those with limited education living in rural settings. Purpose: This study examined the efficacy of using self-monitoring diaries in a weight loss program targeting chronically ill and obese rural-dwelling adults. Methods: A community-based intervention program using a pretest and posttest design examined the effect of using self- monitoring diaries on weight loss. Fifty participants were enrolled from the chronic disease clinic of a district health center with limited medical resources in a remote village in southwestern Taiwan. All participants were diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension, had body mass indices between 27 and 32 kg/m2, and had a minimum educational level of junior high school. Mean participant age was 43.7 years. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. All attended a mandatory 12-week weight loss program. The intervention group received instructions on how to record diet and exercise details in a structured, graphics-based diary provided by the researchers. Body weight and percentage of body fat were measured before and after the program, and data were analyzed by chi-square and ANCOVA. Results: The intervention group significantly lost more weight than the control group (5.7 kg vs. 2.1 kg; p < .05). The participants of 88% in the intervention group lost 5% or more of their baseline weight greater than the 23% in the control group. Both groups achieved the mean of body fat reductions by comparing pretest and posttest. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Self-monitoring diaries can have a significant impact on weight loss in individuals living in rural communities. Healthcare providers and health promotion agencies can use the suggested checklist method to improve weight loss promotion programs in isolated rural communities with limited medical resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. This study was designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of self-induced vomiting to control body weight among adolescents in Taiwan. Background. Over the past decades, the rate of obesity among children in Taiwan has nearly tripled. Educational authorities have devoted considerable effort to prevent the increase in childhood obesity. Design. An observational exploratory design to investigate the problem of using unhealthy weight-reduction strategy. Methods. This study consists of a cross-sectional study aimed at collecting national representative data. We chose 120 representative schools using a three-stage stratified systematic sampling design with probability proportionate to the size of the population in Taiwan. Participants consisted of 8673 girls and 7043 boys, aged 10-18 old. Results. Of the participants, 13% reported using self-induced vomiting, the prevalence being highest in participants aged 10-12 (15·9%) and lowest in participants aged 16-18 (7·5%). Several factors were significantly and positively associated with the use of self-induced vomiting as a weight-loss strategy, specifically subjects who (1) watched television, used computer, surfed the Internet or played video games for greater than or equal to two hours/day, (2) consumed fried food every day and (3) ate night-time snacks every day (odds ratio = 1·55, 2·10 and 1·51, respectively; p < 0·05). Eating breakfast every day and sleeping for more than eight hours a day were both protective factors against the use of self-induced vomiting to control body weight (odds ratio = 0·43 and 0·86, respectively; p < 0·05). Conclusions. Self-induced vomiting was prevalent among adolescents who had tried to lose weight; sedentary lifestyle, shorter sleep length and unhealthy eating habits may contribute significantly to this behaviour among these adolescents. Relevance to clinical practice. School nurses who are helping adolescents lose weight should also pay attention to the possibility they are using self-induced vomiting as a weight-control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was designed to test the efficacy of auricular acupressure on weight reduction and changes of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. This study used a randomized design with one control group and one experimental group consisting of Asian young adults with a waist circumference ≥80 cm in the females and ≥90cm in the males. At completion of eight weeks of auricular therapy, the total sample size was 55 young adults who ranged in age from 18 to 20 years old. Each participant was treated weekly for ear acupressure in ten-minute sessions. Sessions continued for eight weeks wherein the control group received acupressure only while the experimental group received acupressure with the Japanese Magnetic Pearl on the ear acupoints. While both the control and treatment groups showed significant reduction (p ≤ 0.05) to body weight and waist circumference after eight weeks of treatment, only the group treated with Japanese Magnetic Pearls showed decreased waist to hip ratio. Thus, auricular acupressure may be a beneficial addition to weight loss programs for young adults. Auricular acupressure is thus a reasonable option in the treatment of overweight and obesity in young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social distance regulations have been suggested as one of the best ways to control and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Social connection and food are intertwined because both have played critical evolutionary roles in human survival. We tested whether the substitutability hypothesis in human motivation applies here in that cues signaling scarcity in one domain (e.g., social connection) might enhance the desire to acquire resources in another domain (e.g., food). We recruited 140 adults from Kaohsiung City (the largest city in southern Taiwan) to participate in a laboratory experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either social distancing or neutral primes via an emotional-event recollection technique. The amount of ice cream eaten during a taste test and the self-reported likelihood of binge eating served as the dependent measures. We found that, compared with controls, participants primed with social distancing consumed more ice cream in a taste test and reported a greater likelihood that they would engage in binge eating if they were placed in home quarantine. We may be the first to provide experimental evidence that social distancing can enhance the desire for food. The link between social distancing and the desire for food is pertinent to understanding how strongly social distance regulations may influence weight gain. Our findings have far-reaching implications for weight control under social distance regulations for prevention and control of COVID-19. • Reminders of COVID-19 social distancing lead people to feel socially disconnected. • Primed with COVID-19 social distancing promotes the desire for food. • Social distance regulations may be closely associated with weight gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and context: In 2012, Hope Foundation for Cancer Care initiated "Running for Hope" project (road running around Taiwan) to raise awareness of Pap test and female cancers, during which lack of awareness about cancer prevention among general public was observed. To further educate the awareness, HOPE foundation launched campaigns in campus to aim at younger generations. According to both World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), by adopting healthier style of life, which includes staying away from cancer-causing factors, healthy diet, regular exercise, weight management and effective cancer screening, millions cancers on a global scale can actually be prevented. Aim: To implement campaigns about healthy life styles which include staying away from cancer-causing factors, healthy diet, regular exercise, weight management and effective cancer screening. Strategy/Tactics: To implement "5 Tips to Stay Away From Cancer" campaign. The five tips are: proper diet, regular exercise, saying no to cigarettes, alcohol and beetle nuts, weight management and regular screening. Program/Policy process : In 2013 and 2014, cancer prevention short films were played in campuses. In 2015, taken inspiration from Running for HOPE project in 2012, a campaign for raising awareness for female cancer was initiated by using new social media and smart phones with the display of "HOPE" logo on screens. In 2016, renowned cross-disciplinary artist Mr. Eyeball was invited to create the mascot Bao-Di, launching the new cancer-prevention slogan "Cancer prevention—five tips to keep you safe—proper diet, regular exercise, saying no to cigarettes, alcohol and beetle nuts, weight management and regular screening". The mascot Bao-Di took on the role of educating the public about how to prevent cancer. In 2017, more social media strategies were applied, including the Bao-Di journal, celebrity-featured short-films, Line stickers and taxi advertisements. Outcomes: 1. 7 screenings of short films with 1843 views in campus (2013), 9 screenings of documentary in local communities with 545 views (2014). 2. 505 people joined Running for Hope project in photo-taking with the "HOPE" logo during 6 weeks of campaign (2015), 1028 people participated "Hope You are Here" campaign. 3. 24,290 people were reached through Bao-Di Journal project with its friendly campaign "Cancer prevention–five tips to keep you safe". 4. 121,335 people total viewed the two celebrity-featured short films on YouTube. 5. 365 download of Line stickers. What was learned: 1. Lack of awareness about cancer-prevention through direct contact with general public during the road running project was observed. Therefore, more effort in education is foreseen. 2. Development of localized risk-reducing signs and mascots taken inspiration from campaigns of international cancer-prevention organizations. 3. Application of new social media to raise cancer-prevention awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]