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How To Write A Strong Obesity Research Paper?

Jessica Nita

Table of Contents

thesis statement obesity

Obesity is such a disease when the percent of body fat has negative effects on a person’s health. The topic is very serious as obesity poisons the lives of many teens, adults and even children around the whole world.

Can you imagine that according to WHO (World Health Organization) there were 650 million obese adults and 13% of all 18-year-olds were also obese in 2016? And scientists claim that the number of them is continually growing.

There are many reasons behind the problem, but no matter what they are, lots of people suffer from the wide spectrum of consequences of obesity.

Basic guidelines on obesity research paper

Writing any research paper requires sticking to an open-and-shut structure. It has three basic parts: Introduction, Main Body, and Conclusion.

According to the general rules, you start with the introduction where you provide your reader with some background information and give brief definitions of terms used in the text. Next goes the thesis of your paper.

The thesis is the main idea of all the research you’ve done written in a precise and simple manner, usually in one sentence.

The main body is where you present the statements and ideas which disclose the topic of your research.

In conclusion, you sum up all the text and make a derivation.

How to write an obesity thesis statement?

As I’ve already noted, the thesis is the main idea of your work. What is your position? What do you think about the issue? What is that you want to prove in your essay?

Answer one of those questions briefly and precisely.

Here are some examples of how to write a thesis statement for an obesity research paper:

  • The main cause of obesity is determined to be surfeit and unhealthy diet.
  • Obesity can be prevented no matter what genetic penchants are.
  • Except for being a problem itself, obesity may result in diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and many others.
  • Obesity is a result of fast-growing civilization development.
  • Not only do obese people have health issues but also they have troubles when it comes to socialization.

thesis statement obesity

20 top-notch obesity research paper topics

Since the problem of obesity is very multifaceted and has a lot of aspects to discover, you have to define a topic you want to cover in your essay.

How about writing a fast food and obesity research paper or composing a topic in a sphere of fast food? Those issues gain more and more popularity nowadays.

A couple of other decent ideas at your service.

  • The consequences of obesity.
  • Obesity as a mental problem.
  • Obesity and social standards: the problem of proper self-fulfilment.
  • Overweight vs obesity: the use of BMI (Body Mass Index).
  • The problem of obesity in your country.
  • Methods of prevention the obesity.
  • Is lack of self-control a principal factor of becoming obese?
  • The least obvious reasons for obesity.
  • Obesity: the history of the disease.
  • The effect of mass media in augmentation of the obesity level.
  • The connection between depression and obesity.
  • The societal stigma of obese people.
  • The role of legislation in reducing the level of obesity.
  • Obesity and cultural aspect.
  • Who has the biggest part of the responsibility for obesity: persons themselves, local authorities, government, mass media or somebody else?
  • Why are obesity rates constantly growing?
  • Who is more prone to obesity, men or women? Why?
  • Correlation between obesity and life expectancy.
  • The problem of discrimination of the obese people at the workplace.
  • Could it be claimed that such movements as body-positive and feminism encourage obesity to a certain extent?

Best sample of obesity research paper outline

An outline is a table of contents which is made at the very beginning of your writing. It helps structurize your thoughts and create a plan for the whole piece in advance.

…Need a sample?

Here is one! It fits the paper on obesity in the U.S.

Introduction

  • Hook sentence.
  • Thesis statement.
  • Transition to Main Body.
  • America’s modern plague: obesity.
  • Statistics and obesity rates in America.
  • Main reasons of obesity in America.
  • Social, cultural and other aspects involved in the problem of obesity.
  • Methods of preventing and treating obesity in America.
  • Transition to Conclusion.
  • Unexpected twist or a final argument.
  • Food for thought.

Specifics of childhood obesity research paper

thesis statement obesity

A separate question in the problem of obesity is overweight children.

It is singled out since there are quite a lot of differences in clinical pictures, reasons and ways of treatment of an obese adult and an obese child.

Writing a child obesity research paper requires a more attentive approach to the analysis of its causes and examination of family issues. There’s a need to consider issues like eating habits, daily routine, predispositions and other.

Top 20 childhood obesity research paper topics

We’ve gathered the best ideas for your paper on childhood obesity. Take one of those to complete your best research!

  • What are the main causes of childhood obesity in your country?
  • Does obesity in childhood increase the chance of obesity in adulthood?
  • Examine whether a child’s obesity affects academic performance.
  • Are parents always guilty if their child is obese?
  • What methods of preventing childhood obesity are used in your school?
  • What measures the government can take to prevent children’s obesity?
  • Examine how childhood obesity can result in premature development of chronic diseases.
  • Are obese or overweight parents more prone to have an obese child?
  • Why childhood obesity rates are constantly growing around the whole world?
  • How to encourage children to lead a healthy style of life?
  • Are there more junk and fast food options for children nowadays? How is that related to childhood obesity rates?
  • What is medical treatment for obese children?
  • Should fast food chains have age limits for their visitors?
  • How should parents bring up their child in order to prevent obesity?
  • The problem of socializing in obese children.
  • Examine the importance of a proper healthy menu in schools’ cafeterias.
  • Should the compulsory treatment of obese children be started up?
  • Excess of care as the reason for childhood obesity.
  • How can parents understand that their child is obese?
  • How can the level of wealth impact the chance of a child’s obesity?

Childhood obesity outline example

As the question of childhood obesity is a specific one, it would differ from the outline on obesity we presented previously.

Here is a sample you might need. The topic covers general research on child obesity.

  • The problem of childhood obesity.
  • World’s childhood obesity rates.
  • How to diagnose the disease.
  • Predisposition and other causes of child obesity.
  • Methods of treatment for obese children.
  • Preventive measures to avoid a child’s obesity.

On balance…

The topic of obesity is a long-standing one. It has numerous aspects to discuss, sides to examine, and data to analyze.

Any topic you choose might result in brilliant work.

How can you achieve that?

Follow the basic requirements, plan the content beforehand, and be genuinely interested in the topic.

Option 2. Choose free time over struggle on the paper. We’ve got dozens of professional writers ready to help you out. Order your best paper within several seconds and enjoy your free time. We’ll cover you up!

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Public Health Issues — Obesity

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Essay Examples on Obesity

Hook examples for obesity essays, "the silent epidemic among us" hook.

"Obesity silently creeps into our lives, affecting millions. Explore the hidden health crisis, its causes, and its far-reaching consequences on individuals and society."

"From Childhood to Adulthood: Battling Obesity" Hook

"Childhood obesity often follows us into adulthood. Share stories of individuals who have embarked on journeys of transformation and discuss the challenges they face."

"Obesity's Toll on Public Health" Hook

"Obesity is a public health crisis with wide-ranging effects. Investigate the strain on healthcare systems, the rise of related diseases, and the economic impact of obesity."

"The Cultural Shift: Food, Technology, and Sedentary Lifestyles" Hook

"Examine how cultural factors, including dietary habits, technology use, and sedentary lifestyles, have contributed to the obesity epidemic. What can we learn from these trends?"

"Breaking the Cycle: Strategies for Prevention" Hook

"Prevention is key to combating obesity. Discuss effective strategies for preventing obesity in children and adults, from education to policy changes."

"The Psychological Battle: Obesity and Mental Health" Hook

"Obesity often intersects with mental health challenges. Explore the complex relationship between obesity and mental well-being, as well as the stigma attached to it."

"Shifting Perspectives: Celebrating Body Positivity" Hook

"In the midst of the obesity crisis, the body positivity movement is gaining ground. Discuss the importance of promoting self-acceptance and diverse body images."

Conclusion for Obesity

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Persuasive Essay on Child Obesity

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The Problem of Obesity and The Unhealthy Lifestyle Among The Us Citizens

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Obesity in The United States and Ways to Avoid It

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Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may have a negative effect on health. Medical organizations tend to classify people as obese based on body mass index (BMI) – a ratio of a person's weight in kilograms to the square of their height in meters.

There are three types of obesity: Class 1 (low-risk) obesity, if BMI is 30.0 to 34.9; Class 2 (moderate-risk) obesity, if BMI is 35.0 to 39.9; Class 3 (high-risk) obesity, if BMI is equal to or greater than 40.0.

The major contributors to obesity are: diet, sedentary lifestyle, genetics, other illnesses, social determinants, gut bacteria, and other factors.

Excessive body weight has a strong link to many diseases and conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis, and asthma. As a result, obesity has been found to reduce life expectancy.

Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. 39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. From 1999-2000 through 2017-March 2020, US obesity prevalence increased from 30.5% to 41.9%.

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thesis statement obesity

Obesity - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that it may have a negative effect on health. Essays on obesity could explore its causes, the health risks associated, and the societal costs. Discussions might also revolve around various interventions to address obesity at an individual and community level. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Obesity you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Problem: Childhood Obesity in America

As you've probably heard, more children are becoming overweight today in America than ever before. Experts are calling this an "obesity epidemic." To first understand childhood obesity we must ask ourselves what is obesity? Obesity is a diet-related chronic disease involving excessive body fat that increases the risk of health problems. Many doctors have expressed obesity has an increasing problem in today's youth as obesity can lead to many health issues such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart […]

Childhood Obesity Parents are the Blame

In current years, children becoming more obese in their entire childhood development has become common. Obesity in children could be due to various reasons such as family structure, busy family life experienced in the modern days, and insufficient knowledge of foods containing high calories. Parents ought to be accountable for what they do or fail to do that amounts to a negative influence on their children's weight and cause them to be overweight or obese during their childhood period. When […]

Social Media and Body Image Essay

Have you ever looked in the mirror and said something negative about yourself? According to the Merriam Webster dictionary body image is, ""a subjective picture of one's own physical appearance established both by self-observation and by noting the reactions of other. Negative body image and low self-esteem are real problems and I want to discover the causes, how much of a factor social media is, and ways that people can get help to move past it. Many people see things […]

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Childhood Obesity – Causes and Potential Long-Term Effects

Abstract There is growing concern about the state of children’s health. Every year there is an increase in the number of overweight and obese children. What causes this and what does it mean for them long-term? There are many contributing factors to children’s weight issues. Some of these factors are limited access to healthy food, more time spent in front of a screen, and less physical activity. Long-term health affects include a rising risk of Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart […]

How are Fast Food Advertising and Childhood Obesity Related

By 1950s, fast food industry boom was in full swing. It was secured in 1951. In the 1950s, McDonald has become a staple of the American diet. Fast food restaurants have been grown more and more and by now, there are over one hundred and sixty thousands fast food restaurants in the United States, becoming a one hundred and ten billion dollar industry. One can’t deny that fast food has become really important in American life nowadays. Whether Americans are […]

History of Type II Diabetes

Type II Diabetes Abstract This paper explores the disease Type II Diabetes and the many components it has. Type II Diabetes affects many people around the world, but is different than most diseases because it is not transferred by genetics. This form of diabetes is brought upon by unhealthy lifestyle choices which makes it unique because living a healthier life can make it go away. When Type II Diabetes affects someone, they are not able to control their blood sugar […]

Childhood Obesity is an Epidemic in the USA

Introduction Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States and other western industrialized societies. "Childhood obesity affects more than 18 percent of children in the United States, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood" (Obesity Action Coalition). According to the OAC, the percentage of children suffering from childhood obesity has tripled since 1980. A child is considered obese if their body mass index for their age is greater than 95 percent. Childhood obesity is both an […]

Childhood Obesity Today

In America, childhood obesity is on a rise today. Children can gain obsessive weight because of environmental factors. Vending machines, low cost on snacks, and a increase in the fast food chain are contributing factors towards obesity. Genetics can also play a part in childhood obesity. Many children come from a generation of overweight families. Most parents don't see the harm in letting their children gain tons of weight. Obesity can cause many health problems. Childhood obesity affects the health […]

History and Types of Diabetes

The first sign of diabetes was discovered in 1500 B.C.E by the Egyptians. According to one study, ancient Indians were familiar with the condition and had even determined two types of the condition. They called it "honey urine" and tested for it by determining if the ants were drawn to the urine. The first mention of the word diabetes was by the Greeks. It means "to go through", it was named this because of its main symptom: the excessive passing […]

Childhood Obesity in the American Nation

Childhood obesity is still rising in this nation. One out of three Americans is obese. The outlook for children is not much better, as adolescent obesity has quadrupled over the last thirty years. "As of 2012, almost 18 percent of children aged 6-11 years were obese" (Newman, 1). Despite the considerable public awareness of the negative impacts of obesity, this challenge persists. The situation for youngsters is hardly brighter; over the last few decades, the rate of youth obesity has […]

The Causes and Preventions of Childhood Obesity

When trying to find out if a child is considered for obesity, they need to have a body mass index that is between the ranges of the 85th percentile and the 95th percentile. When speaking about childhood obesity it is for children between the ages of infancy and early adulthood which is eighteen years of age. Obesity is one of the most preventable diseases especially if caught early enough. There are many different reasons for the cause of childhood obesity, […]

Risk Factors from Alzheimer’s Disease

About 40 million people are affected by dementia, with the majority of these individuals being over the age of 60. This number is expected to double in the next 20 years, reaching around 80 million by 2050. Approximately 60-70% of all dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer's disease, affecting between 2.17 and 4.78 million people. Out of those, 46% have a moderate or severe form of the disease. It is estimated that by 2050, between 7.98 and 12.95 million people […]

Tackling Childhood Obesity in Rural Mississippi

Childhood obesity is a growing health issue in the United States. Children with higher Body Mass Indexes than the recommended by the National Institutes of Health are more prone to adverse health effects later in life. Obesity in early age can translate into adulthood and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes (Franks 2010). The highest rates of childhood obesity can be observed in the southeastern corner of the United States, Mississippi, in particular, with the highest prevalence […]

Childhood Obesity: Global Epidemic and Ethical Concerns

Abstract Numbers continue to climb for those who have childhood obesity. This serious issue has been brought to the attention of the public who have been taking preventative measures and action in hopes to reduce the number of cases. In a number of countries, public policies have been implemented to prevent obesity. However, in the U.S. efforts made are not enough or have not been effective to stop the obesity rate from increasing. Proposals for solutions to this health problem […]

Obesity in Childhood

There are numerous issues that society faces on a daily basis. One of the issues that society faces is obesity. It is one of the leading risks of death and has been ongoing since the 1960s and 1970s. Obesity is an issue that continues to grow not only in the United States but also in developing countries as well. Not only does obesity affect adults but it has become a serious issue for children. According to an article, "approximately 12.7 […]

Childhood Obesity, a Crisis that could be Cure

Obesity is a crisis that is affecting many countries, their most vulnerable citizens being children. Bad eating habits, high calorie intake, genetics, and lack of activity or exercise are some of the elements that, either combined or individually, are the cause for childhood obesity in America, Latin America, and many other nations. In the United States, rural areas have higher rates of childhood obesity, as do Hispanics and Blacks (Davis 2011). Keywords: Obesity, Childhood. Childhood Obesity, a Crisis that could […]

Impact Media on Eating Disorders

With all of our current understanding so far we can see how much of an impact media has on triggering eating disorders. Research has only just begun to analyze the relationship between social media outlets such as facebook, body image and symptoms of eating disorders. Facebook is available at the fingertips of most adolescents today which allows them easy access to seek social comparison and negative feedback. Therefore it is an essential area to examine in relation to eating disordered […]

Factors that Influence Childhood Obesity

The cause of pediatric obesity is multifactorial (1). There is not a single cause, nor solution, found that leads to all cases of pediatric obesity. Parental discipline in regard to the child is not proven to lead to less adiposity or obesity in children. Parental feeding strategy may actually be a cause of obesity with restrictive approach to food by the parent shown to increase the proclivity for the restricted foods (2). Likewise, when parents allowed their children to have […]

Childhood Obesity and Physical Activity

Most children and teens have access to a tablet, smartphone, television, laptop or a video console. They are sitting around on-screen time more and more as the days go by. Research from the CDC states obesity has nearly doubled since the 1970s in the United States. It is estimated now that 20 percent of children and adolescents are affected by obesity. Too much screen time, the accessibility to the internet and not enough physical activity are the biggest reasons the […]

What is Childhood Obesity?

Introduction Childhood obesity has become a widespread epidemic, especially in the United States. Twenty five percent of children in the United States are overweight and eleven percent are obese (Dehghan, et al, 2005). On top of that, about seventy percent of those children will grow up to be obese adults (Dehgan, et al, 2005). There are many different causes that can be attributed to the childhood obesity. Environmental factors, lifestyle preferences, and cultural environment play pivotal roles in the rising […]

Child and Adolescent Obesity in the United States

Child and adolescent obesity in the United States has nearly tripled sincethe 70s. About 1 out of every 5 children suffer from childhood obesity. It is the duty ofmothers and fathers to prevent and find solutions to child and adolescent obesity. Thispaper will seek to explain the many causes and current results which parents can execute.Child and adolescent obesity comprises of several likely causes such as poor diet and lowphysical activity including numerous adverse effects. Therefore, changes in familyhousehold structures […]

Childhood Maltreatment and Substance Abuse

Including in the article of the topic and discerning the studies to steer readers to be educated on the broad input of childhood maltreatment possibly going hand and hand with abuse of substances. In surrounding this topic, you can pull out the gist of all the studies and background information to bring a responsible observation that is proven. That which is humans who are brought into or raised into a childhood maltreatment experience such as, emotional or physical neglect along […]

Childhood Obesity and Adolesence

Childhood obesity can be prevented in many ways. Parents are the main ones with a say so on obesity. They allow their children to digest all kinds of bad foods. Parents should introduce on a daily basis different kinds of healthy foods. They should also promote is by showing children how healthy food are good for the body. You have some children that won’t eat healthy things because of the color and the way it looks. Obesity is one of […]

A Big Problem – Bad Healthcare is Aiding Childhood Obesity

A study done in 2002 found that, almost 14 million children are obese, that is 24 percent of the U.S. population from ages 2 to 17. This number just keeps rising as the years go by. Some people would argue that the increasing numbers are due to sugary dinks and foods sold in vending machines at schools, or not enough healthy food options. Other parties can argue that this number keeps increasing because of bad healthcare and not enough opportunities […]

Childhood Obesity Rate Can be Decreased

Child obesity has become a major concern as it continues to increase every year in the US. Many parents are uneducated about the risks of childhood obesity. Parental awareness and increasing physical activity are steps towards making a change in the rates of childhood obesity. There are many side effects of childhood obesity that can obstruct a child’s future. However, positive changes to children’s health can be achieved through the influence of adults. Child obesity has become a more critical […]

Is Obesity a Problem?

Is Obesity a Problem? Have you ever wondered how dysfunctional obesity can be for a person? What impact does it make on health and personal life? Usually, a person who has not encountered this problem rarely thought about it. You can watch TV shows about people overweight just for entertaining or laugh at a friend who got overweight without understanding the importance of this problem. Personally, I did not understand the seriousness of the situation in which an overweight person […]

Diabetes and Renal Failure

Diabetes and Renal Failure Introduction This is a research article about prevalence of renal failure and its early detection among patients who have long standing diabetes mellitus. End stage renal disease significantly increases the risk of death and requires expert health care. Although diabetes is the most predominant cause of chronic renal disease, maximum individuals with diabetes are not investigated based on national guidelines. Chronic kidney disease warrants improved detection using standardized criteria to improve outcomes. Proper screening of diabetic […]

Mental Health and Obesity

The obesity rate in America is at an all-time high, and it seems there is no end in sight. Obesity not only affects adults, but children as well. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines obesity as “Weight that is higher than what is considered as a healthy weight for a given height.” (CDC, 2016) Soccer not only improves physical health and lessens obesity, but also mental health. Working out at least once a day makes a person […]

Poverty and Obesity

It is a known fact that the individual exert influences on the environment and vice versa. However, no man is an Island and as such, these influences reflect through various levels of social and interpersonal relationships. The social environment of the individual include interaction with peers, friend and family members, through such mechanism as role modeling, social support and social norms (Mary, Karen, Ramona, Karen .Annu. Rev. Public Health 2008.Creating Healthy food and Eating Environments, para 2). The physical environment […]

Childhood Obesity a Serious Problem in the USA

Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States. Obesity is condition in which a child is significantly overweight for his or her age and height. It is a very common condition and is estimated to have around 3 million cases in the United States each year. Every day more children are getting diagnosed with obesity, and some as young as 4 years old. When a child gets diagnosed with obesity at a young age, it can be very […]

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How To Write an Essay About Obesity

Understanding obesity.

Before writing an essay about obesity, it's crucial to understand what obesity is and its implications. Obesity is a medical condition characterized by an excess accumulation of body fat, often defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. It is not just a cosmetic concern but a complex health issue associated with various diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Start your essay by outlining the causes of obesity, which may include genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, and environmental and psychological factors. Discuss the global prevalence of obesity and its rise in recent decades, indicating a significant public health concern.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on obesity should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about obesity. For instance, you might discuss the societal factors contributing to the rise of obesity, analyze the effectiveness of current interventions and policies, or argue the need for a multifaceted approach to tackle this health issue. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and ensure a structured and coherent analysis.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

To support your thesis, gather evidence from a variety of sources, including medical studies, public health reports, and statistical data. This might include data on obesity rates in different populations, research on the health risks associated with obesity, or studies evaluating the effectiveness of diet and exercise programs. Use this evidence to support your thesis and build a persuasive argument. Be sure to consider different perspectives and address potential counterarguments.

Analyzing the Impact of Obesity

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing the impact of obesity. Discuss the physical health consequences, such as increased risk of chronic diseases, as well as the psychological and social implications, including stigma and reduced quality of life. Consider the economic burden of obesity on healthcare systems and society. This analysis should provide a comprehensive understanding of the far-reaching effects of obesity.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the significance of addressing obesity as a critical public health issue. You might also want to suggest areas for future research or propose potential strategies to combat the obesity epidemic.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and edit it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers, healthcare professionals, or educators to further refine your essay. A well-written essay on obesity will not only demonstrate your understanding of the issue but also your ability to engage with complex health and societal challenges.

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Media and Its Influence on Obesity

Fatima cody stanford.

1 Harvard Medical School (HMS), Boston, MA, 02115

2 Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Weight Center, Boston, MA, 02114

3 MGH Internal Medicine-Gastroenterology and Pediatrics Endocrinology, Boston, MA, 02114

Zujaja Tauqeer

Theodore k. kyle.

4 ConscienHealth, Pittsburgh, PA 15241

To review How the media frames obesity and the effect it has upon on public perceptions.

Recent Findings

The scientific and public health understanding of obesity increasingly points away from individual behaviors and toward medical and community factors, but diffusion of this knowledge is slow. Growing awareness of the importance of body positivity is driving attention to the harms of weight bias and fat shaming.

Health science reporting related to obesity, nutrition, and physical activity tends to perpetuate myths and misunderstandings. Moving forward, greater attention to accurate messages about obesity and evidence-based interventions will be essential for progress to reduce suffering and the impact on public health from this chronic disease.

Introduction: Understanding Obesity as a Disease

In 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA), the largest organized medical society in the United States, recognized obesity as a complex, chronic disease which requires medical attention.( 1 ) Despite this acknowledgement, the general public and the medical community have been slow to embrace obesity as a disease. Many still hold the belief that obesity is solely under personal control. As more research into obesity emerges, obesity is ever more clearly a complex, multifactorial disorder. It presents unique issues for each affected person. An increasing number of research, medical, and advocacy organizations recognize that obesity is a complex, chronic disease. With this recognition, a slow but evident shift is progressing to work toward greater access to care, reduced weight bias and stigma, and better research support for the prevention and treatment of obesity.

The World Obesity Federation has had a long history of addressing obesity as a disease. That history dates to a 1997 joint World Health Organization-International Obesity Task Force (WHO-IOTF) Consultation on Obesity. They continue their work with international non-profit health organizations to advocate for food, nutrition, and physical activity at local, governmental, and intergovernmental levels.( 2 ) In addition, they support obesity research and advocate for dissemination of best practice interventions to meet the needs of people with obesity. Three primary reasons support the World Obesity Federation approach to obesity as a disease: 1) a diagnosis of obesity can help people cope with weight concerns to reduce internalized stigma or the belief that their problems are self-inflicted and shameful, 2) classification of obesity as a disease to help change the public discourse about blame for the condition, and 3) recognition of obesity as a disease may have benefits in countries where health service costs are funded from insurance schemes that limit payments for non-disease conditions or risk factors.( 2 )

In order to explain obesity as a disease from an epidemiologic perspective, Bray and colleagues define food as the primary agent which produces the disease of obesity in the human host.( 3 ) In their paper, they explain that food abundance, low levels of physical activity, and a myriad of other environmental factors interact with a genetically susceptible human to produce a positive energy balance, mostly in the form of fat, which is stored not only in enlarged fat cells but also in organs such as the liver. The enlarged fat cells and ectopic fat then secretes inflammatory, hormonal, and metabolic products to damage organs throughout the body.( 3 ) It is then presumed that the degree of obesity that a person has relates to the virulence of the environment and its interaction with the human host.

Obesity is no longer considered an epidemic because it has reached pandemic status throughout the developing world. However, the debate over whether to consider obesity a disease is not based on medical facts alone. It also takes into account a conceptional analysis of the situation.( 4 ) The philosophy of medicine employs two concepts of disease: the constructivist and naturalistic, but both of these concepts support obesity as a disease. As a result, it is important for persons who care for patients with obesity to recognize the chronic, progressive characteristics of the disease to ensure a model of care that supports the chronic nature of obesity and its co-morbidities is employed to ensure optimal care for this patient population.

In order to tackle the issues of childhood obesity, 43 cross-sector stakeholders participated in a conference supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight, and The Obesity Society (TOS) to improve the systems of care to advance implementation of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPTF) recommendations for childhood obesity.( 5 ) Their recommendation was that childhood obesity treatment should include provisions to provide or refer to intensive (e.g. >25 hours), multicomponent behavioral care. Expanded payment for these services will be necessary. They concluded that cross-sector collaboration is needed to ensure proper training of health professionals to treat childhood obesity with a unified approach to increase payments for delivery of obesity care.

Pharmacologic treatments for obesity are grossly underutilized, due to multiple factors, but one concern has been inadequate clinical guidelines. A consensus group including members from the Endocrine Society (ENDO), the European Society of Endocrinology, and The Obesity Society (TOS) developed guidelines for the pharmacologic treatment of obesity using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to describe the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence.( 6 ) For patients who have been unable to achieve a healthy weight with diet and exercise, weight loss medications serve as an adjunct to help improve weight status. In addition to knowing which medications may be utilized to reduce weight, it is important for clinicians to recognize that many commonly prescribed medications for other chronic disease processes such as mood disorders, diabetes, and hypertension may contribute to weight gain in an individual.

Finally, the 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS Guidelines for Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults presents another opportunity to guide care of patients with obesity. Their recommendations are: 1) identification of patients who need to lose weight, 2) counseling about the benefits of weight loss, 3) dietary therapy for weight loss, 4) lifestyle intervention and counseling, and 5) bariatric surgery.( 7 ) Despite these recommendations, concerns remain that the current physician workforce is not equipped with the proper education to treat patients with obesity secondary to the fact that physicians are not adequately trained in the etiology, pathophysiology, and management of obesity. Also, weight management treatments are not universally reimbursed.( 7 )

Body Positivity, Weight Bias, and Fat Shaming

Awareness in the United States of the importance of body positivity is growing and driving increased attention to the harms of weight bias and fat shaming. Weight bias is negative attitudes toward a person with excess weight or obesity. Fat shaming is behavior that humiliates someone judged to have excess weight. In her notable book Fat-Talk Nation , Susan Greenhalgh notes that cultural assumptions about body weight and health are often based on false, contested, or incomplete scientific ideas ( 8 ). Myths such as the idea that weight is under individual control, or that body mass index (BMI) is an accurate measure of weight status, or that disease status correlates with disease, all contribute to stereotypes about weight loss and obesity. These stereotypes can be harmful for people with overweight and obesity. Greenhalgh discusses the societal effort to police and shame individuals who are perceived to be fat. Medicine is implicated in this harmful environment for people with obesity, because ideas about health and weight often stem from moral judgments and cultural biases rather than scientific and medical knowledge. This problematic trend implicates healthcare practitioners just as much as the general public. ( 8 )

The impact of weight stigma can be medical, psychological, and social. Scientific literature is now beginning to reflect greater attention to this problem. Puhl and colleagues note that being the recipient of weight stigma increases the likelihood of engaging in binge-eating behaviors, disordered eating patterns, increased calorie intake, avoidance of exercise, and lower motivation for physical activity.( 9 ) In fact, the negative consequences of weight bias remain even when controlling for BMI and weight status. Similarly, a 2010 study in the journal Obesity Facts showed that the experience of weight stigma, irrespective of BMI, negatively affects individuals’ willingness to participate in physical activity. ( 10 ) The cumulative result is that people who experience instances of weight discrimination are 2.5 to 3 times more likely to develop or maintain obesity over time as compared to individuals who do not experience weight discrimination. Studies of over 6,000 adults from the Health and Retirement Study and of nearly 3,000 adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging have both found that experiencing weight discrimination results in increased odds of developing obesity and increases in weight and waist circumference, regardless of baseline BMI.( 11 , 12 )

The impact of weight bias on health has serious implications for the management of other medical conditions, since it is produces physiological increases in levels of cortisol, C-reactive protein, and blood pressure. ( 13 , 14 ) Considering the harms of elevated blood glucose and elevated blood pressure on patients with diabetes, these findings should raise concern about the medical harms of weight bias. Individuals who experience fat shaming have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor body image, substance abuse, and suicidality, and these effects remain even after controlling for BMI, obesity onset, sex, and age.( 9 ) Thus, it is the experience of bias and stigma, not merely obesity per se, that has been associated with health risks in these studies.

Where does this stigma present? It presents in the media, in homes, in workplaces, but also in clinics and hospitals. It can also present at a very young age.( 15 ) Weight bias among healthcare professionals has been well-documented and is beginning to be better understood. Sabin and colleagues found in a survey of over 2,000 physicians that weight bias is as pervasive among them as it is in the general public.( 16 ) The Implicit Association Test is a validated measure for implicit or unconscious biases against people with excess weight.( 17 , 18 ) Using this instrument, they found that medical doctors have a strong implicit anti-fat bias, and as with the general population, medical doctors have a strong preference for thin over heavier people. This bias manifests in the belief that people with overweight or obesity are to blame for laziness or lack of willpower that results in increased weight or noncompliance with treatment goals.( 9 ) These pervasive views have the potential to greatly harm the patient-provider alliance and in fact they can worsen the effort to manage obesity.

In a cross-sectional survey of 600 general practitioners in southeastern France, Bocquier and colleagues found that while 79% of surveyed physicians agreed that managing obesity-related problems was part of their job, over half (57.5%) felt that they did not manage these problems effectively, and a third considered their patients with overweight and obesity to be lazier and more self-indulgent than people of normal weight.( 19 ) These factors had important consequences for the medical management of obesity, which were exacerbated by the fact that only 6.7% of physicians were aware of the clinical guidelines for obesity management. In another robust survey of 100 primary care physicians, 100 endocrinologists, 70 cardiologists, and 30 bariatricians, researchers found no consensus among physicians on when to initiate weight loss medications; indeed, providers had unrealistic expectations with respect to weight loss medications and bariatric surgery or were unsure altogether.( 20 ) Evidence also suggests that physicians spend less time with persons with obesity, provide less education, and are more reluctant to perform certain screenings.( 9 )

People with obesity report that comments about their weight from healthcare providers make them reluctant to discuss weight concerns and degrade the quality of communication between patients and providers, especially for those patients who are from minority backgrounds.( 9 ) In a qualitative study of Australian adults living with type 2 diabetes mellitus, Browne and colleagues found that these individual experiences of stigma paralleled some of the themes of personal responsibility and character deficiencies highlighted above.( 21 ) Survey participants noted that they were blamed by others for their condition, subject to negative stereotyping and discrimination, and were therefore unable and unwilling to discuss their condition, including with healthcare professionals, while experiencing psychological distress. Less patient-centered care predicts lower patient adherence, less patient-provider trust, and worse patient outcomes.( 22 )

In the United States, the legal system has begun to consider the topic of weight-based discrimination, a practice which is permissible under federal law. It is interesting to note that while many Americans continue to attribute obesity to personal factors, there is simultaneously a high degree of public support for legislation to address risk factors that lead to obesity. This association has been probed in the literature on public attitudes toward obesity, which is discussed in the next section. Recent additions to the literature in obesity and fat studies reveal increasing support for potential legislative measures that would prohibit discrimination based on body weight in employment, make body weight a protected characteristic under civil rights laws, and accord disability protections for people with obesity. Puhl and colleagues found a significant trend toward increasing support for such measures in the US from 2011 to 2015. ( 23 )

Health Science Reporting and Public Understanding

As Greenlagh and others have noted, myths and misinformation about obesity, nutrition, and physical activity play a role in promoting weight stigma.( 8 ) Errors in scientific literature tend to become magnified in health science reporting on the topics of obesity, nutrition, and physical activity. Public ideas about health often rest on a foundation of scientifically incomplete knowledge, and these become the basis for cultural judgments about fatness and obesity.

In a comment piece published in Nature , Allison and colleagues spoke out about the problem of errors in the scientific literature from the perspective of researchers who work on obesity, nutrition, and energetics. ( 24 ) The authors noted their own experiences finding many factual and methodological errors in articles within their field – errors that had the potential to alter the conclusions reported in these papers. They also described how cumbersome and costly it can be to correct these errors once they are published. Given the public interest in obesity and nutrition research, it is troubling to consider how the generation of erroneous conclusions in scientific studies and the problem of correcting scientific errors in the literature post-publication impact scientific, medical, and lay understandings of these topics. For example, a study of childhood obesity prevention was retracted from Obesity because of unsubstantiated claims that a nutrition intervention prevented obesity. Authors re-published the same paper a year later in a different journal without disclosing the prior retraction or correcting the errors that led to the retraction. ( 25 )

An international team of researchers who work on obesity and nutrition wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine about the plethora of unsubstantiated beliefs about weight loss, nutrition, and obesity. Casazza and colleagues set out to show the lack of evidence for many weight loss ideas, such as the idea that small sustained changes in energy intake accumulate over time for large, long-term weight loss, or that it is necessary to have realistic goals for weight loss, or that diet readiness is necessary to help patients successfully lose weight. The authors further dismantle the myths that rapid weight loss leads to poorer weight loss outcomes as compared to gradual weight loss, that physical education classes in schools as currently designed reduce or prevent childhood obesity, or that breast-feeding is protective against obesity. They also note the absence of evidence to prove that breakfast is protective against obesity, that early childhood habits regarding exercise and eating influence weight throughout life, that eating more fruits and vegetables can produce weight loss, that snacking contributes to weight gain, or that neighborhood environment structures influence obesity. Their findings have great implications for the cultural and medical coping with obesity. For example, the authors note that while reduced energy intake has been scientifically proven to reduce weight, the act of trying to go on a diet or having a diet prescribed does not generally result in weight loss. Reduced energy intake is the most important arbiter of weight loss in this scenario. Provision of meals and use of meal-replacement products have been shown to promote greater weight loss. Thus, structural and environmental changes can successfully result in clinically significant reductions in obesity, as compared to fat shaming or assigning personal blame to persons with obesity. Lastly, and notably, we should not underrate the promise that obesity pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery offer for the effective treatment of obesity.( 26 ).

Brown and colleagues further describe the problematic scientific process behind generating knowledge about health and nutrition, as well as methodological errors that cast doubt on many scientific conclusions. For example, the authors note that observational studies of foods that cause cancer are profuse in the biomedical literature. Studies often tend to find significant associations, however the sum total of the associations as well as the effect sizes found between certain foods and cancers go against common sense knowledge regarding the effect of dietary changes on cancer prevalence around the world. In such cases, confounding biases and other methodological errors can contribute to significant findings. Media interest and the subsequent dissemination of study findings worsen this problem because they contribute to further fallacies in scientific research, whether through confirmation bias or exposure effect. Publication bias toward studies that match preconceived expectations, as well as study conclusions skewed toward study hypotheses worsen this vicious cycle.( 27 )

Frederick and colleagues have examined this dilemma regarding myths about obesity and fatness. ( 28 ) They have investigated how scientific knowledge about these topics are disseminated through the media and how that affects attitudes toward individuals with obesity, as well as public support for obesity policies. The investigators gave over 2,000 participants news articles that portrayed fatness as unhealthy, under personal control, and acceptable to stigmatize, or they gave them news articles that indicated the opposite. The authors found as association between negatively framed articles and greater anti-fat prejudice, greater willingness to exclude larger body sizes from acceptable notions of body size, and greater willingness to discriminate against fat people including charging them more for health insurance. This research demonstrates that the nuances of public reporting on obesity and fat is tied in intricate ways to the lived experience of individuals with obesity, related to how they are perceived, and the acceptability of anti-fat behavior.

Similarly, Saguy and colleagues. conducted an in-depth experiment analyzing a diversity of news framings of obesity, and then compared the impact of these frames on readers’ perceptions of the risks of higher body mass, their support for public health policies aimed at obesity, and their attitudes toward people labeled as fat or obese.( 29 ) The articles were framed with different ways for discussing obesity: one discussed obesity as a public health crisis, the other as less of a problem than previously thought, and another in the context of weight-based discrimination. The researchers found that framing obesity as a public health crisis was associated with greater anti-fat prejudice. But exposure to news about weight-based discrimination resulted in less inclination towards seeing obesity as a public health crisis and a lower likelihood of support for obesity-related public policies. Both this study and the one by Frederick and colleagues show that concerns about heavier bodies and obesity are tied to support for public health measures to ameliorate the rates of obesity, but are simultaneously linked to weight-based prejudice.( 28 , 29 )

Framing Public Policy Issues

Print and electronic media reporting on obesity play an important role in shaping public perceptions about policy issues related to obesity. At present, they largely serve to reinforce the notion that obesity policy amounts to nothing more than the aggregation of policies related to food and physical activity.

Stanford and Kyle examined the deficiencies in this approach.( 30 ) They concluded that “a more complete approach is needed to address the complex physiology of obesity, its transgenerational effects, and the importance of diverse stakeholders, including the food industry.” In addition, Monaghan and colleagues described how a dimension of moral panic, with an emphasis on body size, compounds the problem of ineffective approaches to public policies intended to address obesity.( 31 ) When framed as a moral issue, policies tend to add to weight stigma and lead to worse outcomes, both for individual and public health.

One of the ways that this occurs is through discriminatory medical policies. Brochu and colleagues demonstrated how stigmatizing media portrayals can lead to such policies.( 32 ) People were more likely to support discriminatory policies if news accounts are paired with stigmatizing images than if they are paired with neutral images. Stigmatizing media campaigns also serve to prevent personal engagement in health promotion. In a study by Puhl and colleagues, stigma-free and positive messaging was more likely to engage people in healthy behavior changes than were stigmatizing messages that focus on weight.( 33 )

Likewise, at a community level, media can influence public engagement in policies to address obesity. In a web-based experiment, Ye Sun and colleagues found that how news reports frame health issues related to obesity can affect support for both individual and community action to address obesity. Framing obesity in a societal, rather than individual, context led to more engagement and support for both community and personal action.( 34 ) In a similar way, Gollust and colleagues found that different health messages have important effects on support for public action to address childhood obesity.( 35 ) Messages about health consequences had the strongest effect overall, compared to others, such as messages relating to disparities. They also found that the impact of different messages varied among cohorts of people with different political orientations. For example, messages about obesity’s impact on military readiness had a greater impact of politically conservative respondents.

Moving Forward: Coping with the Chronic Disease of Obesity

Recent years have seen much progress in the understanding of obesity – both as a disease and as a cause for bias, stigma, and discrimination, but media messaging has been slow to incorporate this new understanding. The dominant themes in media reports about obesity focus almost exclusively on individual choices about nutrition and physical activity. Individual nutrition and physical activity can indeed have positive impacts on health.

But media messages less often reflect the complex interactions of biology and diverse environmental factors that promote obesity quite independently from individual personal choices. The result is that health policies place little emphasis on evidence-based obesity care and the need for more effective public health interventions to prevent obesity.

Typically, health plans will cover only brief and largely ineffective counseling to reduce or prevent obesity for individual patients.( 36 ) For even modest effectiveness, intensive interventions are required.( 37 ) Likewise, coverage for FDA-approved pharmacotherapy is uncommon.( 38 ) Although health plan coverage for bariatric surgery is more common than for other obesity treatments, significant gaps remain.( 39 ) Until media messaging about obesity includes more complete information about evidence-based obesity care, this situation will change very slowly, if at all. Strategies to achieve more complete media messaging will necessarily involve raising the awareness of more healthcare professionals about the physiologic basis for obesity, because the media often relies upon healthcare professionals who are not obesity specialists in preparing news reports. As a prototype for such efforts, the Bipartisan Policy Center has worked with 20 leading health organizations to develop a core set of provider competencies for obesity. ( 40 )

Conclusions

Public health strategies to reduce the impact of obesity have been largely focused on promoting healthier individual nutrition and physical activity behaviors. Media reporting tends to promote weight bias and focuse the public primarily upon individual behaviors without addressing the complexity that leads to the current pandemic of obesity. Thus, it is unsurprising that public support for research to identify more effective strategies is limited. But because “no major population success has yet been shown” in reversing long-standing trends toward higher obesity prevalence, new strategies are clearly needed. ( 41 )

Clinical and public health scientists must lead in the effort to develop and implement more effective approaches to reduce the impact of obesity. But they will not accomplish this in a vacuum of public understanding. Therefore, mass media has a critical role to play in creating an environment where progress is possible.

Acknowledgments

Funding : This work was supported in part by NIH NIDDK R01 DK103946 03.

Psychological Issues (V Drapeau and S Sogg, Section Editors)

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of Interest

Fatima Cody Stanford and Zujaja Tauqeer declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Theodore K. Kyle has received compensation from Novo Nordisk, Nutrisystem, the Obesity Action Coalition, and The Obesity Society for service as a consultant.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as:

• Of importance

•• Of major importance

Obesity in America: Cause and Effect Essay Sample

It is clear that the American lifestyle has contributed to the increasing prevalence of obesity. With estimates from the Washington-based Centers for Disease Prevention in the Department of Health and Human Services indicating that one in three American adults is overweight, it is evident that the country is facing an obesity epidemic. To better understand the causes and effects of obesity, research is needed to further explore the issue. For those struggling with obesity, coursework assistance may be available to help them make the necessary lifestyle changes in order to live a healthier life.

Writing a thesis paper on the topic of obesity can be extremely challenging. It requires extensive research and time to adequately cover the subject. However, there are services available that can provide assistance with the writing process. Pay for a thesis allows for the benefit of having an experienced professional provide guidance and support throughout the entire process.

Causes of Obesity

Every phenomenon must have a reason. In order to write a cause and effect essay , you need to analyze the topic carefully to cover all aspects. Obesity is considered to be a complex illness, with a number of factors contributing to its development. These can be:

  • hereditary;

As you may have guessed, it is the latter category of causes and effects that we are interested in. At this point, we care about the five ones that have made the biggest contribution.

Product Range

The main cause of obesity is junk food and an unbalanced diet rich in simple carbohydrates, fats, and sugars, plus a bunch of additives. Manufactured, processed, refined, and packaged meals are the most popular. Thanks to advances in technology, Americans have come to mass-produce meals that keep fresh longer and taste better. It takes less time to prepare unhealthy, processed foods in the microwave than it does to cook them yourself.

Lack of a work-life balance, high-stress levels, insufficient sleeping hours contribute to body weight gain. Not only do these factors contribute to this, but failing to take the time to do your homework can also have a negative impact on your physical health. Without a healthy, balanced approach to work, rest, and play, you may find yourself increasingly dependent on a sedentary lifestyle that can lead to overweight consequences. Many Americans work 50, 60, or more hours a week and suffer from a deficit of leisure hours. Cooking processed foods saves them hours and money, even though they end up costing them a lot more – by causing cardiovascular disease. In addition, obese people feel stressed on a regular basis in the United States metropolitan areas. Many of them are simply binge eating under the influence of negative emotions. Chronic overeating leads to a disturbance in the appetite center in the brain, and the normal amount of food eaten can no longer suppress hunger as much as necessary, affecting the body mass.

Food Deserts

The term ‘ food desert ‘ refers to poor areas (urban, suburban and rural) with limited access to fresh fruit, grains, and vegetables – places where it is much easier to access junk food. A grocery shop in a food desert that sells healthy foods may be 10-15 miles away, while a mini-market or cheap shop that sells harmful snacks is close to the house. In such a world, it takes much more effort to eat healthier, form eating habits, and stay slim.

Everyone’s Passion for Sweets

Consuming sweets in large quantities is addictive: the more and easier we give the body energy, the more the brain uses serotonin and dopamine to encourage it – it will make obese people want sweets again and again during the day. Cakes and pastries are fast carbohydrates that easily satisfy hunger and increase body mass. Despite the harm of sweets, obese people experience the need for them to satiate. Sweetened carbonated drinks are one of the main sources of sugar in the American diet. Moreover, some individuals may be more adversely affected by such diets than others: patients with a genetic predisposition to obesity gain body mass faster from sugary drinks than those without it. This leads to childhood obesity.

The Harm of Tolerance

Every year, the body positive movement is becoming more and more popular all over the world. It would seem that this major trend should have freed us from the problems associated with the cult of thinness and society’s notorious standards. In many ways, a positive attitude towards the body has proved fruitful. For example, the notion of beauty has clearly broadened. Now on fashion shows and magazine covers, you can see not only a girl with perfectly retouched skin and without a single hint of body fat but also an ordinary person with its inherent features: overweight, wrinkles, hair, and individual skin features. In general, all the things that we are all so familiar with in real life.

Does it really make that much sense? Is this a positive thing in terms of the cause and effect topic regarding obesity? In short, opinions are divided. Extremes aren’t easy to overcome. Not everyone manages to do it. Researchers have concluded that due to plus size having become positioned as a variant of the norm, more persons have become obese. Many obese Americans have formed the opinion that it is really quite normal, and they have become oblivious to the damage it does to their health. This is what we are going to focus on next.

list of causes of obesity

Effects of Obesity

We all know that obesity is dangerous to health. However, medical studies show that most adults are unaware of the number of complications and diseases that obesity in America entails. So they are fairly comfortable with becoming gradually fatter. But indifference is replaced by concern when obesity related diseases begin to occur.

For interesting examples of students writing that also reveal the causes and effects of other phenomena, consult the custom essay service offering essays by professionals. In this way, you will realize the importance of highlighting the effects right after the causes.

Is obesity an aesthetic disadvantage, an inconvenience, a limitation in physical activity or is it an illness after all? How does it affect health, and what are the consequences? The visible signs of obesity are by no means the only complication associated with this condition. Obesity creates a high risk of life-threatening diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart attack, myocardial infarction, and kidney and liver problems. Moreover, it can also lead to disability.

Cardiovascular Disease

This is the most serious and damaging impact on the body and blood vessels in particular. Every extra kilo is a huge additional load on the heart. Obesity increases the risk of heart attacks. Experts from the American Heart Association have developed a paper on the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular disease, which discusses the impact of obesity on the diagnosis and outcomes of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Childhood obesity aggravates the course of cardiovascular disease from a very early age. The fact that even kids and adolescents are obese is associated with high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia.

The result is excessive insulin production in the body. This, in turn, leads to an overabundance of insulin in the blood, which makes the peripheral tissues more resistant to it. As a consequence of the above, sodium metabolism is disturbed, and blood pressure rises. It is important to remember that excessive carbohydrate food intake leads to increased production of insulin by the pancreas. Excess insulin in the human body easily converts glucose into fat. And obesity reduces tissue sensitivity to insulin itself. This kind of vicious circle leads to type 2 diabetes.

Effects on Joints

Obesity increases the load on joints to a great extent, especially if one undergoes little or no physical activity. For instance, if one lives in a megalopolis, where all physical activity consists of getting off the sofa, walking to the car, and plumping up in an office chair at work. All this leads to a reduction in muscle mass, which is already weak, and all the load falls on the joints and ligaments.

The result is arthritis, arthrosis, and osteochondrosis. Consequently, a seemingly illogical situation is formed – there is practically no exercise, but joints are worn out harder than in the case of powerlifters. In turn, according to a study by the University of California, reducing body weight reduces the risk of osteoarthritis.

Infertility

In most cases, being obese leads to endocrine infertility, as it causes an irregular menstrual cycle. Women experience thyroid disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, problems with conception, and decreased progesterone hormone. Obese men are faced with erectile dysfunction, reduced testosterone levels, and infertility. It should be noted that the mother’s obesity affects not only her health but also the one of her unborn child. These children are at higher risk of congenital malformations.

Corresponding Inconveniences

Public consciousness is still far from the notion that obese people are sick individuals. The social significance of the issue is that people who are severely obese find it difficult to get a job. They experience discriminatory restrictions on promotion, daily living disadvantages, restrictions on mobility, clothing choices, discomfort with adequate hygiene, and sexual dysfunction. Some of these individuals not only suffer from illness and limited mobility but also have low self-esteem, depression, and other psychological problems due to involuntary isolation by watching television or playing video games. Therefore, the public has to recognize the need to establish and implement national and childhood obesity epidemic prevention programs.

Society today provokes unintentional adult and childhood obesity among its members by encouraging the consumption of high-fat, high-calorie foods and, at the same time, by technological advances, promoting sedentary lifestyles like spending time watching television or playing video games. These social and technological factors have contributed to the rise in obesity in recent decades. Developing a responsible attitude towards health will only have a full impact if people are given the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. At the level of the community as a whole, it is therefore important to support people in adhering to dieting recommendations through the continued implementation of evidence-based and demographic-based policies to make regular physical activity and good nutrition both affordable and feasible for all. It is recommended to cut down on the food consumed.

thesis statement obesity

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thesis statement obesity

Childhood Obesity: Causes/Solutions Research Paper

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Thesis Statement

Introduction, statistics about the problem, causes of childhood obesity, steps the government should take to eliminate the problem, works cited, note card i, note card ii.

Childhood obesity is one of the biggest developing health problems associated with the things such as types of foods that children consume, genetic factors, addiction to highly pleasurable foods, and diminished physical activities.

Therefore, failure of the government to take precautionary measures such as controlling the foods served to children, introduction of BMI checking to schoolchildren, and planning of anti-obesity campaigns amongst others will automatically threaten the health of children and that of the population of the nation at large.

Obesity is the development of more weight than the body of an individual is supposed to carry. Ideally, the body of a person should carry weight within a certain range according to the height of the given individual. Much weight for a specific height is deemed overweight and consequently underweight for a much less weight for a specific height.

Therefore, childhood obesity is the development of more weight, which is mostly fats, more than the height can accommodate. It is usually 20% more body fat weight in a child. Childhood obesity is a serious health problem to society due to the frequency of obesity cases that are being reported of late.

The greatest concern brought about by childhood obesity is that it has been identified as a precursor to certain adulthood ailments if not controlled. Thus, controlling it is a way of eliminating some adulthood ailments. As Riley reveals, childhood obesity leads to such ailments as; “hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression, type two diabetes, and high cholesterol among others” (395).

According to Green and Riley, childhood obesity has increased threefold since the year 1981. Sixteen per cent percentage of the population of children between the ages of 6 and 19 years suffer from obesity (917).

In the United States, 23% of children coming from poor families are likely to suffer from obesity compared to 14% of those who come from families that are doing well socially and economically (Riley 395). Obesity has led to a rise in the cost of healthcare for the national government with obesity cases consuming up to 71million dollars in terms of treatment between the years 2008-2009.

According to statistics, there has been a 50% increase in obese cases among children of 7-12 years during the years 1991-1998. Eyler finds that the United States of America government has had to come up with policies and legislation that would reverse the trend by the year 2015 (2294). This effort is an indicator to the seriousness of the problem and the concern that the government has towards it. What causes childhood obesity?

The Foods in the Market

One of the biggest causes of childhood obesity is the type of food a child eats. Following the increase in populations and the decrease in the land for agricultural production, scientists have come up with ways of producing high yields of crops on remarkably small pieces of land for feeding the populations. Most of these foods are produced using biotechnology and bioengineering, which lead to high crop yields. Most crops produced using the methods have been cited as sources of obesity upon producing food from them.

High yield crop production involves altering of the genetic makeup of the crops. When consumed by children and or other people, the effects are directly transferred to them. Animals that used as food to human beings are usually fed on foods with high hormones to spur quick growth of the animals. When children feed on products from these animals, the hormones are directly transferred to them thus triggering a faster development of their cells and body tissues hence leading to obesity.

Genetic Factors

Genetic factors can also be attributed to be a cause of childhood obesity that happens when a child grows bigger than the actual size, and then it is cited as a family trend. Some people are naturally grown. This condition sometimes inherited and passes from one generation to the other.

The study further revealed that there is a 75% chance of children being obese if their parents were obese and a 75% chance of children being thin or slim if their parents were thin. This fact is a sure indicator that obesity is a genetic factor that is passed on from parents to their children. The situation can be controlled if the children engage in activities that can enable them burn the extra calories and fats.

Addiction to highly pleasurable foods

According to Pretlow, addiction to highly pleasurable foods can be one of the biggest causes of obesity in children between the age of 5years to 19years (297). Most of these highly pleasurable foods are extraordinarily high in calories thus leading to extremely fast weight gain in children and young adults.

The advent of fast food outlets has exacerbated the problem because most of the foods sold in fast food outlets are highly pleasurable besides containing excess calories. Addiction to these kinds of foods can be equated to some extent to the addiction found in substances like drugs. Addiction to highly pleasurable foods thus leads the child eating more and more of the food. Because they are not in a position to burn the loads of calories gained by their bodies, they tend to begin piling more and more fats in their bodies.

Diminished physical activities

Childhood obesity can be attributed to diminished physical activities among children. Most children nowadays do not engage in physical activities as compared to the past. In the past, most parents would engage their children in physical activities like doing household chores while going out to play at the same time as a way of engaging in fun. That trend has changed dramatically in the recent past with most children engaging in activities that are not energy sapping.

The trend has changed with the introduction of computer games in society. Most children have ended up becoming couch potatoes because they spend almost all of their playing time playing computer games, which are addictive in nature. The increase in television programs has also led to children getting addicted to watching television. Reilly finds that television companies have come up with tailor-made programs for children thus leading to television addiction (395).

Controlling the food served in schools

The government should come up with a policy guideline on what types of food can be served in school kitchens. Nutritionists should recommend the foods because they have the right calorie contents for children at specific ages.

This campaign will see the government prepare a school feeding diet program that is based on healthy eating habits, which are aimed at reducing obesity and hence eliminating it in the end. An observation by Wojcicki and Heyman contends that an awareness program starting from schools is a sure way of controlling obesity (1630).

Introduction of BMI check in schools

The government should introduce a regular body mass index check to all children in schools as a way of checking and regulating the problem. A regular body mass index check will make the children aware of their weight status and the need to keep healthy bodies and lifestyles.

Such checks can also be used for recommending specific physical activity programs to the children as a way of enabling them burn the excess fats that have accumulated in their bodies. Children growing up with the awareness of the right body mass index will be able to control overweight problems when they occur in the future thus ensuring a healthy nation.

Develop a nationwide anti obesity campaign

The government should develop a nationwide campaign that will see the awareness levels of the population increased to such an extent that everyone in society is aware of the problem. Huang observes that a nationwide campaign to eliminate obesity will enable parents bring up their children with awareness of the obesity problem (148).

Most parents are usually unaware of the obesity problem in their children thus ending up not taking the right steps to stop it. The society today is made up of parents who spend a lot of their time chasing their careers than taking care of their children and hence the need to remind them of their responsibility.

Childhood obesity is a complex problem that cannot be easily wished away due to the many different elements that cause to it. It needs a multipronged approach that will control it. The problem with obesity is that it cannot be eliminated. Thus, there is a need for the government to put measures as discussed above to minimize it as much as possible.

Eyler, Army et al. “Patterns and predictions of state childhood obesity legislation in United States: 2006-2009.” American Journal of Public health 102.12 (2012): 2294- 2302. Print.

Green, Gregory, and Riley Clarence. “Physical activity and childhood obesity: Strategies and solutions for schools and parents.” Education 132.4 (2012): 915-920. Print.

Huang, Terry. “Prevention and treatment: Solutions beyond the individual.” Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 35 (2007): 148-149. Print.

Pretlow, Robert. Addiction to highly pleasurable food as a cause of the childhood obesity epidemic: A qualitative internet study . Washington D.C: Routledge, 2008. Print.

Riley, John. “Childhood obesity: An overview.” Children & Society 21.5 (2007): 390-396. Print.

Wojcicki, Janet, and Melvin Heyman. “Reducing childhood obesity by eliminating 100% fruit juice.” American Journal of Public Health 102.9 (2012): 1630-1633. Print.

Summary Note Card:

Following the rising impacts that obesity has had on the US citizens, leave alone the children, there has been a call to the government to pass bills that emphasize the need to reduce the danger caused by this fatal disease. Patterns and Predictors of Enactment of State Childhood Obesity Legislation in the United States: 2006-2009 points out the efforts that the US is making to curb the rising trend by 2015. The article reveals how the US has made it a priority to pass bills that address needs of the obese people as a way of ensuring that they are not left to die of the disease when measures can actually be implemented to rescue them and the US at large.

Quotation Note Card:

Eyler et al state, “…the number of bills introduced from 2006 to 2009 with obesity prevention content is encouraging, as is the enactment rate of these bills.”

Eyler, Army et al. “Patterns and predictions of state childhood obesity legislation in United States: 2006-2009.” American Journal of Public health 102.12 (2012): 2298. Print.

Paraphrase Note Card:

According to Eyler et al, the period 2006-2008 has been characterized by tremendous efforts by the US government to publish many bills that specifically touch on the issue of obesity. The findings indicate that the earlier on observed obesity trend in the US will be changing with time with fewer reports of obesity cases.

Despite the many efforts put in place to fight obesity, it is alarming to find out how obesity prevalence is rising in the UK and the US specifically among children and adolescents.

This revelation indicates that the current strategies used to fight the disease do not have a well-crafted message to persuade the children and adolescents to change their eating habits and or engage in strenuous activities to help rid themselves of the many useless calories whose accumulation has led to their obese nature. Hence, there is room for more studies on the best strategies to use to reach the affected children and adolescent if at all eliminating obesity is the goal of both the UK and the US.

“Successful prevention of obesity in future will require good examples or models of interventions which have achieved objectively measured and sustained behavior change”

Riley, John. “Childhood obesity: An overview.” Children & Society 21.5 (2007): 395. Print.

Due to the observed failure of the current strategies to help the obese children and adolescents, there has been a call for future research to incorporate interventions that will have the capacity to alter the observed high rates of obesity among the US and the UK children and adolescents.

  • Fats, Carbohydrates, and Proteins
  • Television Plus Junk Foods Equal Childhood Obesity
  • How meth affects women and their children
  • Human Digestion
  • Definitions of Obesity and Criteria for Diagnosing It
  • Obesity Could Be Catching
  • White Wines vs. Red Wines
  • Increased Nutrition Regulations on Fast Food Restaurants
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

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Health Warnings on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Simulation of Impacts on Diet and Obesity Among U.S. Adults

Add to collection, downloadable content.

thesis statement obesity

  • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior
  • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management
  • Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition
  • Introduction: Overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) is a significant contributor to obesity. Policymakers have proposed requiring health warnings on SSBs to reduce SSB consumption. Randomized trials indicate that SSB warnings reduce SSB purchases, but uncertainty remains about how warnings affect population-level dietary and health outcomes. Methods: This study developed a stochastic microsimulation model of dietary behaviors and body weight using the 2005–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, research on SSB health warnings, and a validated model of weight change. In 2019, the model simulated a national SSB health warning policy's impact on SSB intake, total energy intake, BMI, and obesity among U.S. adults over 5 years. Sensitivity analyses varied assumptions about: (1) how warning efficacy changes over time, (2) the magnitude of warnings’ impact on SSB intake, and (3) caloric compensation. Results: A national SSB health warning policy would reduce average SSB intake by 25.3 calories/day (95% uncertainty interval [UI]= −27.0, −23.6) and total energy intake by 31.2 calories/day (95% UI= −32.2, −30.1). These dietary changes would reduce average BMI by 0.64 kg/m2 (95% UI= −0.67, −0.62) and obesity prevalence by 3.1 percentage points (95% UI= −3.3%, −2.8%). Obesity reductions persisted when assuming warning efficacy wanes over time and when using conservative estimates of warning impact and caloric compensation. Benefits were larger for black and Hispanic adults than for white adults, and for adults with lower SES than for those with higher SES. Conclusions: A national SSB health warning policy could reduce adults’ SSB consumption and obesity prevalence. Warnings could also narrow sociodemographic disparities in these outcomes.
  • Body Weight
  • controlled study
  • body weight
  • caloric intake
  • health education
  • Young Adult
  • stochastic model
  • Models, Theoretical
  • health care planning
  • food packaging
  • body weight change
  • United States
  • Public Policy
  • theoretical model
  • computer simulation
  • food preference
  • Food Preferences
  • young adult
  • health care policy
  • health disparity
  • sensitivity analysis
  • Nutrition Surveys
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • consumer attitude
  • Middle Aged
  • socioeconomics
  • Energy Intake
  • Black person
  • middle aged
  • Food Labeling
  • Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
  • Computer Simulation
  • public policy
  • Consumer Behavior
  • sugar-sweetened beverage
  • fluid intake
  • adverse event
  • Health Status Disparities
  • health survey
  • https://doi.org/10.17615/zb56-2w78
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2019.06.022
  • In Copyright
  • American Journal of Preventive Medicine
  • National Institutes of Health, NIH
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NICHD, (T32HD007168)
  • University of the North Carolina Royster Society of Fellows
  • National Rosacea Society, NRS, (CPC P2C HD050924, T32 HD091058)
  • Elsevier Inc.

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Chris Aluah’s legacy lives on through research on courtesy stigma experienced by HIV professionals

May 31, 2024  | Erin Bluvas,  [email protected]

Nearly a decade after his passing, Chris Aluah continues to make an impact. Dedicated to sharing his work with the world, his health promotion, education, and behavior (HPEB) collaborators* have successfully published findings from his dissertation research. The paper, which appeared in the March 2024 issue of Social Work in Public Health , is a fitting tribute to his life’s work related to HIV stigma.

Chris Aluah

Aluah’s journey began in his native Ghana, where he became passionate about mitigating the various types of stigma that can negatively affect health and well-being. Leveraging his creative gifts, he studied theatre and English at the University of Ghana. Aluah also taught high school students and worked with the Navrongo Health Research Center and co-founded the Youth Harvest Foundation before he decided to pursue graduate studies at USC, where his sister, Helen Yitah , had obtained her doctoral degree.

As a student in the Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health in HPEB combination degree program, Aluah continued building his knowledge and skills. He immediately connected with HPEB adjunct associate professor Deborah Billings , who shared his interest in addressing abortion-related stigma as well as in using theater to engage communities in discussions about HIV.

“Chris was an exceptional student but, beyond that, an innovator, an activist and a disciplined researcher,” says Billings, who was thrilled when Aluah decided to continue his studies with the Ph.D. in HPEB program. “His work was rigorous, insightful and important.”

During his doctoral studies, Aluah worked with local actors to create a theatrical production based on interviews and focus groups with African American professionals serving people living with HIV in Richland County. He was also awarded a SPARC (Support to Promote Advancement of Research and Creativity) graduate research grant from the Office of the Vice President for Research and was named a Research Fellow by USC’s Institute for African American Research to support his dissertation project.

Chris was an exceptional student but, beyond that, an innovator, an activist and a disciplined researcher.

This seminal study expanded his stigma research beyond patients to include the network of individuals who provide care for people living with HIV. Known as “courtesy stigma,” this phenomenon is an extension of discrimination to include social workers, clinicians, counselors, advocates and other professionals – regardless of their HIV status.

Through his research – which consisted of a review of 13 studies focused on courtesy stigma – Aluah found that the stigma experienced by members of the HIV workforce can negatively impact their own health and well-being as well as their ability to provide care. Researchers from these studies recommend various methods for combatting courtesy stigma, including organizational infrastructure to provide support, recruitment retention techniques, and education about HIV transmission and management.

Chris Aluah

“Understanding perceptions and experiences of courtesy stigma, as well as how it affects one’s personal life and professional practice, can provide specific points of intervention for the HIV workforce and protect gains made in HIV prevention, care and treatment,” Aluah’s co-authors wrote on his behalf. “The needs of professionals working with and on behalf of people living with HIV should be considered essential in ending the HIV epidemic.”

Aluah passed away near the end of his program and his return to Ghana where he would reunite with his family (his wife and three children) and the beloved country he was determined to help.

“He was going to return to Ghana to be with his family once again and to shake up public health in Ghana,” Billings says.

The following year, the HPEB department named their doctoral achievement award after Aluah. His legacy lives on through his impactful research as well as the department’s annual recognition of their top Ph.D. student, the Christopher Peter Aluah Outstanding Doctoral Student Award .

*Co-authors on the paper include Alyssa Robillard (Aluah’s doctoral advisor), Deborah Billings and Stacy Smallwood .

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

An $18 Big Mac Meal Is Incongruous With $130 Billion In Annual Sales Of GLP-1 Anti-Obesity Drugs By 2030

GLP-1

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.

There is vociferous outrage against McDonald's right now for pegging the price of a Big Mac meal at $18, never mind the caveat that the skewed pricing pertained to a single outlet out of the thousands on the continental US. Yet, even if we assume that this fast food inflationary trend is aggressive and widespread, it is certainly not sustainable, as highlighted by the fact that a veritable Wall Street titan now expects global annual sales of GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs to reach a whopping $130 billion by 2030.

"It frustrates and worries me when I hear about an $18 Big Mac meal being sold - even if it was at one location in the U.S. More worrying, though, is when people believe that the prices of a Big Mac have risen 100% since 2019." https://t.co/Tt1eA5KKRC pic.twitter.com/F7bD12EU8K — Jesse Felder (@jessefelder) May 30, 2024

Related Story US Consumers Shouldn’t Worry About GPU Prices For Another Year As Trump-Era Tariffs Delayed

McDonald's US President, Joe Erlinger, has now published a blog post , tackling head-on the brewing controversy around Big Mac meals supposedly being priced out of the affordable range:

"I can tell you that it frustrates and worries me, and many of our franchisees, when I hear about an $18 Big Mac meal being sold - even if it was at one location in the U.S. out of more than 13,700."

Erlinger goes on to note:

"The average price of a Big Mac in the U.S. was $4.39 in 2019. Despite a global pandemic and historic rises in supply chain costs, wages and other inflationary pressures in the years that followed, the average cost is now $5.29. That’s an increase of 21% (not 100%)."

Of course, critics would be correct in pointing out that a 21 percent price hike for a meal that is premised on affordability is nonetheless a cause of concern. As a testament to the Big Mac meal's globally ubiquitous nature, consider the fact that the Economist magazine uses it to compare inflationary trends across the globe via its bespoke Big Mac index , allowing a first-glance estimation as to how overvalued or undervalued a particular currency is relative to its peers.

Akin to the peak oil thesis, the current trend of fast food inflation, however, is simply not sustainable. The reason: growing penetration of the GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs in population cohorts that are the most avid consumers of this type of caloric-rich food.

GOLDMAN: "We update our market model for Obesity therapeutics and now forecast total worldwide sales of .. $130bn in 2030, an increase from our prior $100bn forecast. .. For $LLY , we now forecast revenues for the company’s AOM portfolio .. in 2024/2027/2030 at $5.3bn, $27.6bn and… — Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) May 30, 2024

To wit, Goldman Sachs has now significantly increased its projections for the sale of GLP-1 drugs, pegging its estimate of annual global sales of these drugs at $130 billion by 2030.

In fact, financial analysts have already started to downgrade the long-term demand outlook for fast food giants such as McDonald's, based on assumptions that 7 percent  of the total population in the US would be using GLP-1 drugs in the next 10 years, with the average caloric consumption of those users declining by around 20 percent.

LOL Hims and Hers 503B-ing semaglutide. $199/month. Cash, no insurance, no BS, to your door. This can't last long, $NVO / $LLY have to be livid. Going to do some reading on mechanics/criteria for FDA shortage list. $HIMS + 15% https://t.co/tktVMj7VlF pic.twitter.com/FlO3wok73B — STL Biotech (@STL_Biotech) May 20, 2024

So, with the average caloric consumption of some of the most avid fast food eaters in the US expected to decline by a fifth in the next few years, the current pricing trend is about to meet a demand headwind that can play an important role in capping significant price hikes, barring those related to pure cost-push measures in an inflationary economy.

For the benefit of those who might not be aware, the GLP-1 hormone plays an important role in suppressing hunger and regulating the production of insulin and glucose. After a meal, GLP-1 agonists raise the level of insulin, which decreases blood glucose levels. Simultaneously, these drugs reduce the speed at which the stomach empties its contents into the small intestine, thereby increasing the feeling of fullness and satiation.

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thesis statement obesity

Further Reading

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  25. Arnold School of Public Health

    May 31, 2024 | Erin Bluvas, [email protected]. Nearly a decade after his passing, Chris Aluah continues to make an impact. Dedicated to sharing his work with the world, his health promotion, education, and behavior (HPEB) collaborators* have successfully published findings from his dissertation research. The paper, which appeared in the March 2024 issue of Social Work in Public Health, is a ...

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