We used an experimental design to examine young adults' ( N = 247; M age = 19.71; 86% female) intentions to engage in health-promoting behaviors in relation to beliefs concerning whether health is malleable or fixed, and how their health is unfolding over time. Individuals in the incremental (health is malleable) and control conditions viewed their health as improving over time; those in the entity (health is fixed) condition viewed their health as relatively stable. Individuals with more incremental theories of health and those who viewed their health as improving over time (particularly past to present) reported stronger health-promoting behavior intentions.

Drawing on social-cognitive and lifespan development perspectives, we examined how individuals view their health as unfolding across time, using a three-wave longitudinal study of American adults (n = 2386; M age = 55.47 years; 55.9% female). Self-rated health (SRH) was perceived to be declining across subjective temporal periods (recollected past, current, anticipated future), particularly by older (vs. younger) adults. Such perceived declines were negatively biased compared to actual changes in SRH over time, especially among older (vs. younger) adults. Physical health (chronic conditions, daily limitations, symptom frequency) worsened across time, with steeper declines for older (vs. younger) adults. Consistent with stereotype embodiment, longitudinal modeling revealed that subjective perceptions of declining SRH predicted actual declines in physical health over time. This study extends previous research and theory on the temporally extended self-and age-related stereotypes by demonstrating the value of a subjective temporal perspective to understanding changes in health across time.Self-rated health (SRH) refers to individuals' subjective perceptions of their health status and has been shown to predict a variety of health-related behaviors and outcomes, including physical functioning, mortality, and quality of life (De Salvo

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem in the United States that affects millions of children and adolescents. Obese children are more prone to chronic illnesses, and these risks persist into adulthood. The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) sought to promote better nutrition among children, especially those who may otherwise not have access to healthy meals, by providing lunches that meet defined nutritional standards. Despite this effort, obesity rates continue to rise and there is little evidence favoring the effectiveness of the National School Lunch Act in reducing obesity incidence among children. Recently, policymakers proposed expanding nutrition education efforts to the classroom to address the current limitations of the National School Lunch Act (i.e., H.R.5892 and S.3293). However, education efforts alone are insufficient to foster long-lasting healthy eating patterns among children. Therefore, we propose that Congress amend the National School Lunch Act to include three evidence-based approaches: a 50-hour education program (H.R.5892), equitable partnerships between schools, local businesses and nonprofit organizations (S.3293), and a community engagement program designed to impact dietary behavior beyond the classroom.

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