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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Obesity and weight control

Self-Assessed Health Status and Obesity Vulnerability in Rural Louisiana: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Examines the self-assessed health of rural residents in Louisiana utilizing the obesity vulnerability index, which factors in gender, race, education, caregiver status, exercise, and grocery store choice as potential risk factors for obesity. Provides 2021 data of residents from 3 rural counties, with obesity vulnerability index indicators broken down by fair, good, or excellent health status.
Author(s): Santosh Pathak, Hua Wang, Katherine Seals, Naveen C. Adusumilli, Denise Holston
Citation: PLoS One, 18(6)
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Rural Healthy People 2030: Common Challenges, Rural Nuances
Policy brief focused on Rural Healthy People 2030, a companion piece to the Healthy People 2030 initiative with a focus on health priorities of rural populations. Features rural stakeholder perspectives on the top 20 Rural Healthy People priorities with breakdowns by census region, Medicaid expansion status, gender, age, race, and field of employment.
Author(s): Morgan Kassabian, Aakriti Shrestha, Timothy Callaghan, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Addressing Food Insecurity in Rural Tennessee
A podcast that discusses local hospitals in rural Hardeman County, Tennessee that collaborated to improve access to healthy food for citizens who were experiencing food insecurity and a lack of transportation to grocery stores. Includes information on a community health needs assessment, data exploration, obesity rates, use of grant funds to address health and wellness, and more.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, John Supplitt, Ruby Kirby
Date: 05/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Madison Medical Center Hospital Spotlight
Discusses how the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program helped Madison Medical Center use health outcome data and community partnerships to launch an initiative to address high obesity rates.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Resource Center
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The Weight of Our Children: New Mexico Childhood Obesity 2022 Update
Provides an overview of childhood obesity in New Mexico from 2010-2022, including prevalence by grade level, sex, and race/ethnicity. Provides strategies to promote healthy lifestyles and a state map of Healthy Kids Healthy Communities (HKHC) counties.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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The Mental Health, Substance Use, Physical Health, and Mental Health Treatment Need of Community Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Hawai'i
Results of a study detailing the health-related needs of Hawai'i's unhoused people, most of whom live in rural areas. Features statistics on self-reported rates of depression and anxiety, illicit substance use, alcohol use, smoking, obesity, and overall physical health.
Author(s): Andrew M. Subica, Daryl S. Sampaga, Jana Ortiz-Misiaszek, Tammy K. K. Martin, Scott K. Okamoto
Citation: Community Mental Health Journal, 59, 1021–1026
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
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Obesity Prevention and Treatment in Rural America Through Changes in Diet and Food Availability
Policy position paper regarding obesity prevention and treatment through rural-specific programming and equitable coverage. Offers policy recommendations to address obesity among rural populations.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Factors Impacting Implementation of Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies in Rural Schools
Examines school policies and implementation related to nutrition and physical activity (PA) to understand the disproportionate rates of obesity in rural Latino children. Analyzes perceptions of policies and barriers from 20 interviews with stakeholders in Lower Yakima Valley of Eastern Washington State K-12 school districts. Discusses themes such as knowledge of school PA and nutrition policies as well as barriers and facilitators to policy implementation.
Author(s): Caryn Ausenhus, Joshua M. Gold, Cynthia K. Perry, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 23, 308
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
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Rural Population Health in the United States: A Chartbook
Presents rural population health data by Census region and state, with some data by sex, race, and ethnicity. Includes U.S. maps showing county-level data as well as a variety of charts, including rural-urban disparity charts, state summary charts, and more. Topics addressed include access to care, health outcomes and risks, mortality, social determinants of health, and socioeconomic data.
Author(s): Randy Randolph, Sharita Thomas, Mark Holmes, et al.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Feeding the Residents of Hardeman County Tennessee
Profiles Healthy Hardeman Outreach for Healthy Weight (H2O), a partnership between the Healthcare Bolivar General Hospital (BGH), the Hardeman County Health Department, and Hardeman County Community Health Center to improve access to healthy foods and reduce obesity in the Tennessee county.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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