Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of personal health, body mass index (BMI), nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy on classroom food-related beliefs and practices. Design: A cross-sectional design evaluated BMI, personal health index (PHI), nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy and food-related beliefs and practices of pre-service teachers. Setting: Pre-service teachers were recruited from upper division elementary education courses at a university in the southeast region of the USA. Participants ( n = 94) were Hispanic (65%), White (60%) and female (93%). Method: Participants completed a survey composed of validated questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling were used to examine the relationships between pre-service teachers’ personal nutrition factors and food-related teaching beliefs. Results: Results indicate that personal health factors, nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy for teaching nutrition contribute to pre-service teachers’ beliefs about the school food environment and food-related teaching practices. Conclusion: Interventions focusing on student teachers’ personal health behaviours and nutrition knowledge may be helpful, as pre-service teachers develop their nutrition-related classroom behavioural intentions.

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Objectives Children 10–20 years old in the US are currently obese, showing suboptimal hydration as 60% fail to meet the US Dietary Reference Intakes for water. Studies have shown a significant inverse association between hydration status and body composition in children, although most failed to use the Dual-X-Ray Absorptiometry Scan (DEXA), the gold standard for body composition. Limited studies used an objective marker to measure hydration, such as urine specific gravity (USG) from a 24-h urine collection. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between hydration status (measured from USG in a 24-h urine sample and assessed from three 24-h dietary recalls) and body fat % and lean mass (assessed from a DEXA scan) in children (10–13 years, n=34) and adolescents (18–20 years, n=34). Methods Body composition was measured using DEXA, total water intake (mL/d) was assessed from three 24-h dietary recalls and analyzed using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR). Hydration status was objectively measured using USG via 24-h urine collection. Results Overall body fat % was 31.7 ± 7.31, total water intake was 1746 ± 762.0 mL/d, and USG score was 1.020 ± 0.011 uG. Linear regressions showed significance between total water intake and lean mass (B=12.2, p<0.05). Logistic regressions showed no significant association between body composition and USG and total water intake. Conclusions Findings showed total water intake was significantly associated with lean mass. Future research should be conducted to explore other objective markers of hydration and with a larger sample.

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Objectives To test the effect of a weekly test message (SMS) program for improving feeding practices and infant weight on infant intake of specific food groups. Methods This study was a multi-site, randomized clinical trial, in 202 caregivers of healthy term infants participating in either the Puerto Rico or Hawaii WIC program. Participants were randomized to receive SMS about either infant's general health issues (control) or SMS for improving feeding practices (intervention) for four months. Anthropometrics and demographics were assessed at baseline. A validated infant food frequency questionnaire was assessed at the four-month visit to assess intake of general food groups. Results A total of 164 participants completed the study (n = 84 control and n = 80 intervention). Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups. At 4–6 months of age, consumption of food groups was similar between both groups and overall, 0 oz (SD: .011) of protein, .49 oz (SD: 1.74) whole grains, .35 oz (SD: 1.14) refined grains, .83 oz (SD: 4.07) fruits, .55 oz (SD: 1.99) vegetables, .20 oz (SD: .883) juices, and 0 oz (SD: .005) of salty snacks were consumed. Conclusions There was no significant difference among food group intake with the intervention. Starting messaging during pregnancy and messages tailored to first foods may improve the outcomes of future studies. SMS interventions may be an appropriate way to continue care between WIC visits. Funding Sources This study was supported by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), of the National Institutes of Health. Infrastructure support was also provided in part by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities RCMI Grant. This research was also supported in part by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).