Purpose: There has been little exploration of the relationship between food/nutrition insecurity status (FNIS) and sports participation (SP) among adolescents. We addressed this gap by examining the association between FNIS and various sociodemographic covariates with SP among United States (US) adolescents using nationally representative National Survey of Child Health (NSCH) data.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the 2020-2021 NSCH for adolescents aged 12-17 years. The outcome of interest was self-reported adolescent SP in the past year (Yes/No). The exposure of interest was FNIS in the past year (1-item: food and nutrition secure, nutrition insecure [NI], food insecure [FI]). Additional covariates included: adolescent sex, race, and ethnicity; parental employment status and education level; household income, utilization of federal assistance programs, and presence of a neighborhood recreation center. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models (95% confidence intervals [CI], α=0.05) were used to assess associations between adolescent SP with FNIS and covariates using survey sampling weights.

Results/Findings: Adolescents in the analytic sample (n=33,705; Weighted N = 24,396,854) were predominantly male (51%, CI:0.50-0.52), White (66.0%, CI:0.65-0.67), non-Hispanic (72.5%, CI:-.71-0.74), and had a parent employed full-time (63.8%, CI: .63-0.65). Over 25% (CI:0.25-0.27) were NI, approximately 5% (CI:0.04-0.06) were FI, and 51% (CI:0.50-0.53) participated in sports in the last year. In the adjusted model, those who were NI (aOR:0.71, CI:0.62-0.81), female (aOR:0.82, CI:0.72-0.91), Asian (aOR:0.68, CI:0.55-0.85), had an unemployed parent not looking for work (aOR:0.76, CI:0.64-0.91) and lacked access to a local recreation center (aOR:0.83, CI:0.75-0.93) were significantly associated with decreased odds of SP compared to respective referent groups (all p<0.01). However, having a household income >400% of the federal poverty level (aOR:1.31, CI:1.07-1.60), not receiving cash assistance (aOR:1.38, CI:1.03-1.75), and having a parent with a college degree (aOR:1.74, CI:1.29-2.34) were associated with greater odds of SP compared to their respective referent groups (all p<0.05).

Conclusions: This study identified significant sociodemographic differences among a nationally representative sample, with NI adolescents being 30% less likely to participate in sports. These findings highlight stark disparities in SP that are possibly rooted in structural and economic barriers. Addressing these barriers is imperative to enhancing adolescent sports participation.

Implementation of an intervention combining physical activity with psychological therapy for socially disadvantaged young people: A mixed-methods process evaluation.
Dr Jennifer Thomas¹ (corresponding author and presenting author), Prof Diane Crone², Prof Nic Bowes², Prof Kelly Mackintosh¹
¹Swansea University, Wales, UK, ²Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales, UK.

Purpose: There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that interventions combining physical activity (PA) with psychological therapy can improve engagement, retention, and psychological outcomes of young people experiencing homelessness (YPEH). However, the challenges associated with implementing such interventions remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the implementation, mechanisms of effect, and contextual influences of a community-based intervention comprising PA and psychotherapy for YPEH.
Methods: A retrospective mixed-methods process evaluation was undertaken to assess recruitment and retention, fidelity, dose delivered, dose received, mechanisms of effect, and contextual barriers and facilitators to the intervention. Data sources included attendance registers which were analysed using descriptive statistics, whereas interviews with implementers and focus groups with participants were qualitatively analysed using a combined inductive/deductive thematic approach. This data was subsequently triangulated with intervention fidelity monitoring forms and non-participant observations to support interpretation of the findings.
Results: Six participants initially enrolled into the study, with three achieving >75% attendance. Challenges to recruitment and retention were multi-factorial, however a lack of organisational resources (staff support and transportation) appeared to have the greatest influence. Fidelity and dose delivered of both intervention components (PA and psychotherapy) were good. Moreover, triangulated data suggested that adaptations did not adversely impact on effectiveness. Dose received by participants was indicative of their engagement with sessions rather than attendance, and dose-response was related to both the quantity and perceived quality of the intervention received. Contextual barriers and facilitators to implementation outcomes were identified across individual, organisational, and intervention-level domains.
Conclusions: Implementation-related factors contributed to challenges encountered, rather than a lack of feasibility or acceptability of a combined PA and psychotherapy intervention. Positive effects reported across outcomes indicate that overcoming identified barriers could facilitate scale-up of the intervention, and translation from research into routine practice.

Purpose: The U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) measures household food insecurity (FI). Latine households experience a high prevalence of FI, and recent research indicated the HFSSM may underestimate FI among Latine households with children. We explored patterns in qualitative descriptions compared to quantitative HFSSM responses among U.S. Latine caregivers of children using convergent mixed methods.

Methods: We used data from a qualitative study of low-income, heritage diverse Latine caregivers (n = 62) of children (<18 years) in three U.S. states (California, New York, and Texas). Trained researchers conducted in-depth cognitive interviews using the HFSSM. We calculated HFSSM scores per USDA procedures to determine household FI status. Then, we made item-by-item adjustments to HFFSM scores, and household FI status, based on iteratively identified rules for adjustment derived from participant qualitative explanations. Using a Bland–Altman plot, we calculated mean bias, indicating the level of agreement between original and adjusted scores. We identified patterns in qualitative descriptions for participants below the bias (indicating higher household FI), compared to participants above the bias or without score adjustments.

Results: Overall, 11.4% of 1,1178 HFSSM responses merited adjustment with the majority (94.8%) being adjusted to affirmative (higher FI). Most adjustments reflected general incongruency between HFSSM responses and qualitative descriptions, participant reliance on food banks/pantries, and sensitivity to child-referenced items. Child-referenced items accounted for half of all adjustments. The Bland–Altman plot bias demonstrated that the HFSSM, compared to adjusted scores, had a 1.85-point score bias toward greater food security. Participants below this bias appeared to be currently or more chronically experiencing FI. Participants with scores above the bias, or whose scores did not change, predominately spoke about their situations more generally or indicated a specific or short-lived FI period in the past 12 months.

Conclusions: Among U.S. Latine parents/caregivers of children, greater underestimation of FI appeared to be more common among households experiencing more persistent FI, with child-referenced items being the most affected. Future research to improve FI measurement among Latine households should explore the adequacy of the reference period and ways to account for food assistance reliance and sensitivity of child-referenced items.

Purpose:
Research has established beneficial associations between 24-hour movement behaviors (i.e., sleep, physical activity, sedentary behavior) and academic performance, but these studies have primarily examined each behavior in isolation. This siloed approach neglects that movement behaviors are co-dependent over a whole day, whereby time spent in one behavior cannot be spent engaging in another behavior. This study examined the relationship between 24-hour movement compositions and academic performance among college students.
Methods:
A total of 150 college students (Mean age = 19.2 ± 1.42 years; 69.3% female; 42.7% Hispanic) enrolled at a large Hispanic-Serving Institution in Texas wore an ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer on their non-dominant wrist for seven full days to measure 24-hour movement behaviors and consented to have their GPA and standardized test scores (e.g., SAT/ACT) collected from university records. Descriptive statistics and a series of compositional linear regression models were computed, with adjustment for gender and standardized test scores.
Results:
On average, participants’ 24-hour movement composition was comprised of 10.6 hours sleeping, 10.2 hours of sedentary behavior, 2.2 hours of light physical activity (LPA), and 1.0 hours of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Findings revealed a significant association between the overall movement composition and GPA (F(3,143) = 5.67, p < .01). Relative to other behaviors, positive associations were observed between sedentary behavior (B = 0.68 ± 0.30 SE, p = .03) and MVPA (B = 0.27 ± 0.12 SE, p = .03) with GPA, whereas a negative association was observed for LPA (B = -0.56 ± 0.16 SE, p < .001). Replacing up to 20 minutes of LPA with sedentary behavior, sleep, or MVPA (B = 0.02 to 0.15, p’s < .05) was associated with higher GPA. Substituting up to 20 minutes of sleep with MVPA was also associated with higher GPA (B = 0.02 to 0.77, p’s < .05).
Conclusions:
Findings suggest that college students’ movement compositions may be related to their academic performance when adopting an integrative 24-hr approach. Longitudinal work is needed to pinpoint specific periods within the semester, such as midterms or finals, to better understand when each behavior is most important for academic performance.

Purpose
Encouraging a shift towards a more plant-based diet in new generations is one of the major behavioural challenge to preserve population and planet health. As motivation is central to shape long-term behaviour change, we aimed to test the effect of a “Eat Less Meat” one-month challenge on immediate and long-term meat consumption of young adults.

Methods
In January 2023, 366 university students (21±3.2 years old) consented to participate in the “Eat Less Meat” challenge and were randomized to February challenge (n=187, intervention group) or June challenge (n=179, control group). Participants chose between three meat-reduction objectives: 0, 3 or 6 servings of meat per week. They received a meat-free recipes book and followed an Instagram account where publications were posted every day. Publications contents were developed based on preliminary focus groups. All the participants were asked to complete a food frequency questionnaire in January (T0, before), February (T1, during) and May 2023 (T2, 3 months after the challenge). Differences in meat consumption (g/day), nutritional quality (adherence to French dietary guidelines), greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO2eq/day) between T1 and T0 and between T2 and T0 were compared between the intervention and the control groups using linear mixed models.

Results
We observed a significant decrease in meat consumption between T1 and T0 in both the intervention (T0: 119±17 g/day, T1: 51±17, p<0.001) and the control group (T0: 116±17 g/day, T1: 83±17, p<0.001) and this decrease was greater in the intervention group (-35±11, p=0.002). We observed a significant decrease in meat consumption between T2 and T0 in both the intervention (T2: 70±18, p<0.001) and the control group (T2: 69±18, p<0.001), with no difference between the two groups (-2.6±14, p=0.847). The nutritional quality increased and the environmental impact of diets decreased in both groups between T0 and T1 and between T0 and T2 without any significant difference in differences (all p>0.05).

Conclusions
Participants in the “Eat Less Meat” challenge reduced their meat consumption, increased the nutritional quality and decreased the environmental impact of their diets during and 3 months after the challenge, however similar long-term effects were also observed in the control group.

Purpose: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) demonstrate significantly lower engagement in sports and other recreational physical activities (PA) compared to typically developing peers (TD). The primary purpose of this study was to identify the factors that promote or inhibit participation in PA from the perspectives of young adults with IDD and their parents.

Methods: This qualitative study used a multiple-case study research design. Young adults with IDD between the ages of 21-39 years and parents of a young adult with IDD were recruited from an urban midwestern community. A total of 13 young adults with IDD and 15 parents participated in this study. Separate focus groups (young adult groups, n = 3; parent groups, n = 5) were conducted for young adult and parent participants and took place in-person or over Zoom. A graduate student conducted the focus groups using an interview guide based on the Social Ecological Model. Data were analyzed using a directed qualitative content analysis approach and a peer debriefing validation approach.

Results: Shared subthemes from the young adult and parent focus groups included: 1) available, but limited PA opportunities, 2) disability inclusion, 3) parents’ role in transportation, 4) PA opportunities for those with IDD are low-priority, 5) cost barriers, and 6) need for qualified staff. Data from the young adult focus groups revealed unique subthemes including that young adults with IDD were knowledgeable about PA and viewed PA positively. Additional subthemes included: lack of social support, concern for safety, and perceived lack of adaptations in existing PA opportunities. Unique subthemes from the parent focus group included vulnerability of young adults with IDD, young adults’ reluctancy to participate in PA, PA for socialization, and the need for more PA opportunities.

Conclusions: Though participating young adults with IDD viewed PA favorably, there are significant barriers that inhibit access to PA opportunities. Improving the quality (e.g., requiring staff who are trained in adapting programs for those with IDD) and quantity of PA opportunities across multiple sectors can aid in increasing participation in PA for young adults with IDD.