Health Promotion Practice
Month XXXX Vol. XX , No. (X) 1–10
DOI:10.1177/1524839919833989
Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions
© 2019 Society for Public Health Education
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Background. The health impact of youth mentors serving
in the delivery of child nutrition and physical activity
(PA) interventions on youth mentors themselves has been
understudied. Objective. The primary objective of the cur-
rent study was to examine the impact of engaging youth
mentors in the delivery of a summertime childhood obe-
sity prevention intervention on youth mentors’ behavioral
health. Method. Data were collected at baseline and
postintervention. A survey of validated nutrition, mental
health, PA, and psychosocial questionnaires was admin-
istered. Diet was assessed via 24-hour recall. Height,
weight, and waist circumference (WC) were measured.
In-depth interviews were conducted with youth mentors.
Results. Eleven youth mentors enrolled: 60% were female,
mean age was 16.1 ± 0.38 years, and 100% were Black.
Mean kilocalories (p = .05), sugar-sweetened beverage
intake (p = .08), and waist circumference (p = .04)
decreased. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11
youth mentors, and three themes emerged: perceived
improvement in nutrition, PA, and mental health-related
behaviors; formation of a positive role modeling rela-
tionship with the child campers; and strengthening of
higher education goals and future career aspirations.
Conclusions. Youth mentor staffing may be an important
intervention strategy for changing health behaviors among
youth mentors. Results from this study can be used to
inform utilization of youth mentors in the delivery of this
and similar health behavior interventions in the future.
Keywords: child/adolescent health; obesity; chronic
disease; career development/professional
preparation
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INTRODUCTION
Almost a third of U.S. youth are overweight or
obese (Skinner, Ravanbakht, Skelton, Perrin, &
Armstrong, 2018). Significant differences in the preva-
lence of obesity exist between racial or ethnic groups,
and the risk increases with age (Hales, Carroll, Fryar, &
Ogden, 2017; Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014). The
harmful consequences of obesity on health and aca-
demic achievement, along with the propensity for
unhealthy weight status to perpetuate into adulthood,
are gravely concerning (Halfon, Larson, & Slusser,
2013; Taras & Potts-Datema, 2005). Thus, now more
than ever, there is need to identify effective interven-
tion strategies to treat and prevent childhood obesity
and the behaviors fueling the problem.
It is well-established that use of a theoretical frame-
work is critical in the design and implementation of
health behavior interventions due to the inherent
complexity of behavior (Sharma M, 2011). The social
833989HPP XX X 10.1177/1524839919833989Health Promotion PracticeHopkins et al. / CAMP <sc>nerf</sc> YOUTH MENTOR OUTCOMES
research-article 2019
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The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Blacksburg, VA, USA
Authors’ Note: Clinical Trials No. NCT02908230/09-19-2016.
Address correspondence to Carolyn Gunther, Associate Professor,
Department of Human Sciences, Ohio State University, 1787 Neil
Avenue, 313 Campbell Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; e-mail:
gunther.22@osu.edu.
Youth Mentor Dietary Outcomes and Waist
Circumference Improvement: Camp NERF
Study Findings
Laura C. Hopkins, PhD, MSPH, RDN, LDN
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Alison Webster, MS
1,2
Julie A. Kennel, PhD, RD, LD
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Kelly M. Purtell, PhD
1
Carolyn Gunther, PhD
1