| Obesity and overweight are important public health concerns associated with a variety of physiological, psychological, and social consequences in children. Obesity-related diseases are one of the leading causes of death, only second to tobacco-related diseases. In the United States, more than {dollar}70 billion annually is spent on health-care costs associated with obesity. Current data suggest that 25% of the children that live in the United States are overweight. Obesity that begins in early life can persist into adulthood and result in serious illnesses. Obesity can result in higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, some forms of cancer, gall bladder, and joint diseases. Obesity can lead to bowing of the legs and pain in the hip joints due to excess weight on the bones and joints. Obese children may develop severe headaches which can even lead to loss of vision. They may suffer from daytime sleepiness or breathing difficulty during sleep. Obese females may develop a condition called "polycystic ovary disease" which can lead to excess hair over the body and problems with the menses (Cohen, 2001).; Interactive Multimedia for the Promotion of Physical Activity, an obesity prevention program for fourth-grade children, includes a CD-ROM, classroom, and family/homework sessions that promote physical activity. The interactive multimedia intervention focuses on individual, behavioral, and environmental factors, and merges constructs from Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). The focus of this study was to examine Interactive Multimedia for the Promotion of Physical Activity (IMPACT) to evaluate the psychosocial correlates of physical activity, specifically focusing on self-efficacy, beliefs about physical activity, and social influences. |
