Obesity

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Influence of Peers and Friends on Children's and Adolescents' Eating and Activity Behaviors — Jun 1, 2012

In this article, we synthesize the empirical literature on the influence of peers and friends on youth's eating and physical activity.

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COMMENTARY

What's on the Menu? A Status Quo That Needs to Change — May 23, 2012

If we want to make progress on the now-global obesity epidemic, we must challenge the status quo and make unhealthy food the new tobacco, writes Helen Wu.

• Commentary

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Some Menus of U.S. Sit-down Chain Restaurants Are as Unhealthy as Fast Food — May 21, 2012

A review of menu nutrition information in U.S. sit-down chain restaurants found that 96 percent of main entrées exceeded the daily limits for calories, sodium, fat, and saturated fat recommended by the USDA.

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• Health and Health Care Research Area

REPORT

Planning for an Aging Nation: New Estimates to Inform Policy Analysis for Senior Health — Apr 12, 2012

Provides insights into the costs and challenges of providing health care to the elderly population.

• Full Document
• Population and Aging Research Area

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Junk Foods in Schools and Childhood Obesity — Apr 1, 2012

The availability of junk food does not significantly increase BMI or obesity among a group of fifth-graders even though they are likely to buy junk food.

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Women's Health Initiative: The Food Environment, Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, BMI, and Blood Pressure — Mar 31, 2012

Post menopausal women living in neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic status and more supermarkets have lower body mass and lower blood pressure.

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

Does Neighborhood Food Environment Predict Youth Diets? — Feb 29, 2012

It's widely assumed that living near fast-food restaurants and convenience stores encourages overconsumption, while supermarkets encourage healthier diets. However, an analysis found no robust link between food environment and consumption in youths, indicating a more complicated relationship than some theories suppose.

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• Health and Health Care Research Area

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Nutrition Standards for Away-From-Home Foods in the USA — Jan 1, 2012

This study reviews the rationale for developing nutritional performance standards for away-from-home foods in light of limited human capacity to regulate intake or physiologically compensate for a poor diet.

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

Kids Are Gaining More Weight During the Elementary School Years — Nov 30, 2011

Nearly 40% of a nationally representative cohort of children started kindergarten with a BMI in the top quartile of the growth charts. This proportion increased significantly between 1st and 3rd grades but there was no further increase during middle school.

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REPORT

Three Essays on Economics of Health Behavior in China — Nov 4, 2011

Three essays each focusing on one topic in economics of health behaviors in China.

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

Coexistence of Obesity and Anemia in Children Between 2 and 18 Years of Age in Mexico — Nov 1, 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.

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REPORT

The Effect of the Assessment of Recruit Motivation and Strength (ARMS) Program on Army Accessions and Attrition — Oct 12, 2011

The fraction of American youth meeting U.S. Army enlistment standards for weight and body fat has declined markedly. In response, the Army developed a waiver program tied to a fitness test known as the Assessment of Recruit Motivation and Strength (ARMS) test. Through difference-in-differences estimates and other analytic techniques, the authors examine the program's effect on Army accession and attrition rates.

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• National Security Research Area

RESEARCH BRIEF

Preventing Obesity and Its Consequences: Highlights of RAND Health Research — Aug 3, 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.

• Research Brief

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Increasing the Availability and Consumption of Drinking Water in Middle Schools: A Pilot Study — Apr 30, 2011

The authors assessed the acceptability, feasibility, and outcomes of a school-based intervention to improve drinking water consumption among adolescents.

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COMMENTARY

Worth Its Weight in Gold? — Apr 21, 2011

In terms of healthcare use and chronic health conditions, obesity is comparable to aging 20 years, with the health of a 30 year old resembling that of a 50 year old, writes Roland Sturm.

• Commentary

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Food Prices and the Dynamics of Body Weight — Mar 31, 2011

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

Regional Price Differences and Food Consumption Frequency Among Elementary School Children — Jan 31, 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.

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• Children and Families Research Area

JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Role of School Physical Activity Programs in Child Body Mass Trajectory — Jan 31, 2011

Meeting the national recommendation for physical education and recess at school can help prevent obesity in children.

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

Preliminary Healthy Eating Outcomes of SNaX, a Pilot Community-Based Intervention for Adolescents — Jan 31, 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.

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Multidimensional Relationship Between Early Adult Body Weight and Women's Childbearing Experiences — Jan 1, 2011

This study sheds light on the physiological and social nature of the relationship between early adult body weight and women's childbearing experiences by examining whether the consequences of early adult weight for lifetime childbearing are shaped by historical social context, women's social characteristics, and their ability to marry.

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