Rural Obesity and Weight Control – Resources

Assessment of Dietary Patterns, Physical Activity and Obesity from a National Survey: Rural-Urban Health Disparities in Older Adults
Examines the association between rural-urban status, physical activity, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and obesity prevalence in older adults by analyzing data derived from respondents aged 65 and above from the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
Author(s): Steven A. Cohen, Mary L. Greaney, Natalie J. Sabik
Citation: PLoS One, 13(12)
Date: 2018
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Advancing Obesity Solutions Through Investments in the Built Environment: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summarizes a September 2017 workshop focused on the role of the built environment in the prevention and treatment of obesity. Identifies promising strategies to create more healthful environments. Contains some discussion specific to rural areas and small communities, including efforts to support physical activity throughout Montana.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Roundtable on Obesity Solutions
Date: 2018
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Beverage Consumption Patterns among Overweight and Obese African American Women
Examines beverage consumption patterns, including the number of beverages and type, contributing to the overall energy intake and weight status among overweight and obese African American women in the rural South. Includes statistics on beverage consumption by age, education, and rural versus urban residence.
Author(s): Terryl J. Hartman, Regine Haardörfer, Brenda M. Greene, Shruti Parulekar, Michelle C. Kegler
Citation: Nutrients, 9(12), 1344
Date: 12/2017
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Catalyzing Medicaid-Public Health Collaboration to Reduce Childhood Obesity
Explains cross-sector interventions tested by 5 states - Arizona, Maryland, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas - participating in the Center for Health Care Strategies' Innovations in Childhood Obesity Initiative. Each state profile highlights how Medicaid and public health agencies are using innovative approaches to address childhood obesity in their high-risk communities. The Texas initiative focuses on childhood obesity in the rural, low-income population along the U.S./Mexico border.
Author(s): Alexandra Maul, Stephen A. Somers
Date: 11/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Variations in Obesity Rates between US Counties: Impacts of Activity Access, Food Environments, and Settlement Patterns
Describes differences in obesity rates among U.S. counties based on rurality, region, poverty level, and ethnicity. Analyzes access to physical activity facilities, food environments, and settlement patterns, defined as residential density and car dependence, to determine potential explanations for geographic variations.
Author(s): Peter Congdon
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(9), 1023
Date: 09/2017
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The Differences in Characteristics Among Households With and Without Obese Children: Findings From USDA's FoodAPS
Examines characteristics of households with at least one obese child and without any obese children. Table 2 compares rural and urban household financial well-being, as it relates to obesity. Table 3 examines the food environment for rural households with and without obese children.
Author(s): Young Jo
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Mass Media Campaign to Reduce Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in a Rural Area of the United States
Results of a study in which messages about health risks associated with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) were disseminated in 2015-2016 through television, digital channels, and local organizations, in 17 rural counties in Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. Features statistics including comparisons of SSB sales in this area before and after the campaign.
Author(s): Thomas A. Farley, Hayli S. Halper, Anne M. Carlin, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 107(6), 989-995
Date: 06/2017
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Using Electronic Health Records to Examine Disease Risk in Small Populations: Obesity Among American Indian Children, Wisconsin, 2007-2012
Examines use of the Public Health Information Exchange (PHINEX) to describe obesity among Wisconsin American Indian children seeking care off-reservation. Also discusses usefulness of electronic health records as an alternative to other data collection methods when studying disease risk in a small population.
Author(s): Emily J. Tomayko, Bethany A. Weinert, Liz Godfrey, Alexandra K. Adams, Lawrence P. Hanrahan
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 13
Date: 02/2016
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Impact of Improving Home Environments on Energy Intake and Physical Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Reports on the effectiveness of a weight control intervention using health coaches to target home environments using the Healthy Homes/Healthy Families model. Examines changes in the patients' physical activity, calorie intake, and weight. The intervention focused on overweight and obese women in rural Georgia who were patients of community health centers.
Author(s): Michelle C. Kegler, Regine Haardörfer, Iris C. Alcantara, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 106(1), 143-152
Date: 01/2016
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Development of a Nationally Representative Built Environment Measure of Access to Exercise Opportunities
Describes the development of a county-level measure of residents' access to physical exercise opportunities, based on proximity to parks and recreational facilities. This measure is used in County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. Includes a national map showing county-level access to adequate exercise options.
Author(s): Anne M. Roubal, Amanda Jovaag, Hyojun Park, Keith P. Gennuso
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 12
Date: 01/2015
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