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Objective: To identify key predictors of fast-food consumption from a range of demographic, attitudinal, personality and lifestyle variables. Methods: We analysed data from a nationwide survey (n 5 20 527) conducted in Australia by Nielsen Media Research. Items assessing frequency of fast-food consumption at (1) eat in and (2) take away were regressed onto 12 demographic, seven media consumption, and 23 psychological and lifestyle variables, the latter derived from factor analysis of responses to 107 attitudinal and behavioural items. Results: Stepwise multiple regression analyses explained 29.6% of the variance for frequency of take-away and 9.6% of the variance for frequency of eat-in consumption of fast foods. Predictors of more frequent consumption of fast food at take away (and, to a lesser extent, eat in) included lower age -especially under 45 years, relative indifference to health consequences of behaviour, greater household income, more exposure to advertising, greater receptiveness to advertising, lesser allocation of time for eating, and greater allocation of time to home entertainment. There were no effects for occupational status or education level. Conclusions: The effects for age suggest that fast-food take-away consumption is associated with a general cultural shift in eating practices; individual differences in attitudinal and lifestyle characteristics constitute additional, cumulative, predictive factors. The role of advertising and the reasons for the lesser explanatory value of the eat-in models are important targets for further research. KeywordsFast foods Obesity Obesogenic LifestyleThe prevalence of obesity in Australia has risen from 9% to 16% in men and from 10% to 17% in women between 1989-1990 and 2001 1 . Almost 60% of men and women are either overweight or obese, a rate 2.5 times higher than in 1980 2 . Between 1985 and 1995, the proportion of overweight and obese children aged between 5 and 17 years rose from 10.7% to 20% for boys and from 11.8% to 21.5% for girls 3 . Similar patterns have been noted in the USA 4 . As one of the major contributors towards overweight is diet (with the oft-cited imbalance in the ratio of energy intake to energy expenditure) 5-10 , it is important that factors associated with unhealthy eating habits are understood.A frequently invoked indicator of unhealthy eating is the consumption of fast foods [11][12][13] , generally defined as foods purchased ready to eat, usually from large franchised chains 14,15 . Trends in the USA, the source of most of the literature on changes in eating patterns, have shown an increase in total foods eaten away from home, with the fast-food segment growing at double the rate of 1977 -1978 (NFCS 1977 and Continuing Survey of Food Intakes 1994-1996 (CSFII 1995, energy intake from restaurants and fast-food establishments increased by between 91.2% and 208% across all ages from 2 years and above (19-to 39-yearolds consuming the greatest proportion of restaurant and fast-food meals) 9 . Another analysis of USDA data re...

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It is no longer tenable to assume that increased BMI is necessarily associated with major depression, psychological distress, or suicidal ideation. Indeed, it appears protective for some people.

Although knowledge and understanding of depression have improved significantly and stabilized since 1998, patient confidence in both mental health therapists and treatment options fell between 2004 and 2008, although it is still greater than in 1998.

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There has been an increase in both rural and urban young male mental health literacy between 1998 and 2008, especially in rural young men. Whether this will translate into a reduction of depression and associated suicide, with a reversal of the rural/urban suicide differential, remains to be seen.

Tracking mental health literacy within populations is important as it has been shown to be related to individual help-seeking as well as provision of support for those with a mental disorder. The method devised in this study allows for comparisons of literacy levels to be made across populations and time. It also offers increased capacity for statistical application.