Obesity and Health
2011
Changes in Body Mass During Elementary and Middle School in a National Cohort of Kindergarteners — 2011
Many children gained substantial weight in elementary school, especially in grades 1-3. Gains were not just among children who were already overweight or obese; children who entered kindergarten at normal weight also gained substantially.
Coexistence of Obesity and Anemia in Children Between 2 and 18 Years of Age in Mexico — 2011
This article carries out a secondary data analysis to determine the frequency of anemia in different categories of body mass index (BMI) and the frequency in which obesity and anemia co-occurred in children between 2 and 18 years of age.
Homophily and Contagion as Explanations for Weight Similarities Among Adolescent Friends — 2011
Weight-based similarities among friends stem from marginalization of overweight adolescents by their peers. These findings highlight the importance of modeling friendship selection processes when estimating social influence effects on adiposity.
Increasing the Availability and Consumption of Drinking Water in Middle Schools: A Pilot Study — 2011
The authors assessed the acceptability, feasibility, and outcomes of a school-based intervention to improve drinking water consumption among adolescents.
Mediators of Maternal Depression and Family Structure on Child BMI: Parenting Quality and Risk Factors for Child Overweight — 2011
Family environment—including parenting quality—is an important factor in influencing children's leisure activities, and thus interventions for child obesity may be more successful if they focus on family environment and its effect on children's active and sedentary behaviors.
Preliminary Healthy Eating Outcomes of SNaX, a Pilot Community-Based Intervention for Adolescents — 2011
This project developed and designed Students for Nutrition and eXercise (SNaX), an intervention aimed at translating school obesity-prevention policies into practice with peer advocacy of healthy eating and school cafeteria changes.
Preventing Obesity and Its Consequences: Highlights of RAND Health Research — 2011
Summarizes key RAND studies on the causes of obesity, its economic and health consequences, and potential strategies for prevention, including work on health care costs, junk food, food deserts, school meals, and proximity of parks.
Regional Price Differences and Food Consumption Frequency Among Elementary School Children — 2011
Geographic variation in food prices across the US affects youth's consumption of fruit, vegetables and milk; price variation does not seem to affect consumption of fast food or soft drinks, perhaps because consumption is less price sensitive.
The Role of School Physical Activity Programs in Child Body Mass Trajectory — 2011
Meeting the national recommendation for physical education and recess at school can help prevent obesity in children.
2010
Discretionary Calorie Intake a Priority for Obesity Prevention: Results of Rapid Participatory Approaches in Low-Income US Communities — 2010
Reducing consumption of salty snacks, candy, cookies may be more effective than exercise in combating obesity
The Effects of Relative Food Prices on Obesity: Evidence from China 1991-2006 — 2010
This paper explores the effects of relative food prices on body weight and body fat over time in China. The authors study a cohort of 15,000 adults from over 200 communities in China, using the longitudinal China Health and Nutrition Survey (1991-2006). The authors find that the price of energy-dense foods has consistent and negative effects on body fat, while such price effects do not always reflect in body weight. These findings suggest that changes in food consumption patterns induced by varying food prices can increase percentage body fat to risky levels even without substantial weight gain.
Examination of Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Transportation on Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior: The Trial of Activity in Adolescent Girls — 2010
Physical activity is declining and sedentary behavior is increasing among adolescent girls but neighborhood and transportation characteristics do not seem to be the reason.
Facility Provision in Elementary Schools: Correlates with Physical Education, Recess, and Obesity — 2010
The objectives were to: (1) document correlations among facility provision (availability and adequacy) in elementary schools, child sociodemographic factors, and school characteristics nationwide; and (2) investigate whether facility provision
Measuring the Physical Food Environment and Its Relationship with Obesity: Evidence from California — 2010
This study proposes an alternative measure to the Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) called the 'Physical Food Environment Indicator' (PFEI), and tests its association with adult body mass index (BMI) and obesity in California.
Obesity and Angiolymphatic Invasion in Primary Breast Cancer — 2010
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between obesity and the presence of angiolymphatic invasion as well as other features of invasive breast cancer, including stage at presentation, estrogen receptor (ER) status, triple-negative phenotype, and tumor grade.
Soda Taxes, Soft Drink Consumption, and Children's Body Mass Index — 2010
Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages have been proposed to combat obesity.
2009
Affordability and Obesity: Issues in the Multifunctionality of Agricultural/food Systems — 2009
This commentary argues that using obesity as an argument to promote local produce or other multifunctional outcomes is questionable; framing obesity as an issue of poverty or food insecurity trivializes the continuing major problem of hunger worldwide.
Body Mass Index, Neighborhood Fast Food and Restaurant Concentration, and Car Ownership — 2009
Concentration of fast food restaurants is associated with higher BMI among local residents.
Developing Policy Solutions for a More Active Nation: Integrating Economic and Public Health Perspectives — 2009
Both economic and public health/medical perspectives play an important role in the policy process but often approach policy questions in an incompatible way. Harnessing any synergy requires an understanding of the other perspective.
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