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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition

Healthy-Lifestyle Behaviors Associated With Overweight and Obesity in US Rural Children
Describes the association between healthy lifestyle behaviors and the prevalence of overweight and obese ethnically and/or racially diverse, rural school-aged children in California, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Examines the following healthy lifestyle behaviors: improving diet quality, obtaining adequate sleep, limiting screen-time viewing, and consulting a physician about a child's weight.
Author(s): Alison Tovar, Kenneth Chui, Raymond R Hyatt, et al.
Citation: BMC Pediatrics, 12, 102
Date: 2012
Type: Document
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The Strong African American Families-Teen Trial: Rationale, Design, Engagement Processes, and Family-Specific Effects
Presents the results of a randomized, attention-controlled trial comparing the Strong African American Families–Teen (SAAF–T) family-centered intervention program for adolescents to a comparable family-centered control program that focused on health and nutrition. African American families from six counties in rural Georgia with a 10th-grade student participated in the study. The study focused on family management skills, culturally consistent programming, and community-based implementation procedures.
Author(s): Steven M. Kogan, Gene H. Brody, Virginia K. Molgaard, et al.
Citation: Prevention Science, 13(2), 206–217
Date: 11/2011
Type: Document
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Development and Implementation of a Food System Intervention to Prevent Childhood Obesity in Rural Hawai'i
Report on the Healthy Foods Hawaii intervention trial in four rural communities, which aimed to improve the diets of children and decrease obesity rates. Includes information about the impacts of access to transportation, education, and healthy foods.
Author(s): Rachel Novotny, Vinutha Vijayadeva, Vicky Ramirez, et al.
Citation: Hawaii Medical Journal, 70(7 suppl 1), 42-46
Date: 07/2011
Type: Document
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Risks to Health Among American Indian/Alaska Native High School Students in the United States
Examines leading health risks among nationally representative sample of American Indian/Alaska Native high school students and compares rates to other racial/ethnic groups. Includes statistical breakdowns by frequency of cigarette and alcohol use, weight status, physical activity level, television and computer use, and healthy food intake.
Author(s): Sherry Everett Jones, Khadija Anderson, Richard Lowry, Holly Conner
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 8(4)
Date: 07/2011
Type: Document
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Obesity and Related Health Behaviors Among Urban and Rural Children in the United States: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004 and 2005-2006
Evaluates and compares the rates of overweight, obesity and related health behaviors among rural and urban children using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Author(s): Ann McGrath Davis, Kevin J Bennett, Christie Befort, Nikki Nollen
Citation: Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 36(6), 669-676
Date: 07/2011
Type: Document
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Understanding the Rural Food Environment: Perspectives of Low-income Parents
Describes barriers rural, low-income families face to access quality, affordable, and healthful food. Concludes that remedies used in urban areas will not help to fix the problem of food deserts in rural areas.
Author(s): Anush Yousefian, Al Leighton, Kimberly Fox, David Hartley
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 11(2), 1631
Date: 04/2011
Type: Document
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Hunger and Obesity: Understanding a Food Insecurity Paradigm: Workshop Summary
Presents the results from a workshop, held November 16-18, 2010, which explored the relationship between food insecurity and obesity. Chapter 4 focuses on four populations - children, immigrants, American Indians, and rural populations - as a way to discuss potential links between food insecurity and obesity.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2011
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Diet, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Behaviors as Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity: An Urban and Rural Comparison
Examines rates of childhood obesity, compared by rural and urban location. Also discusses issues related to physical activity, sedentary behavior, dietary quality, and other associated risk factors. Includes breakdowns of data by gender, age group, and race/ethnicity.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Jihong Liu, Sonya J. Jones, Han Sun, Janice C. Probst, Philip Cavicchia
Date: 11/2010
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Local and Regional Food Systems for Rural Futures
Explores the opportunities for social, economic, and environmental challenges in the local and regional food movement and systems for rural populations.
Author(s): Jennifer Jensen
Date: 11/2010
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Commute Times, Food Retail Gaps, and Body Mass Index in North Carolina Counties
Examines potential impact that longer commute times and limited access to affordable, healthy food have on the rural obesity disparity. Includes statistical breakdowns by age, weight status, race, education, and income level.
Author(s): Stephanie B. Jilcott, Haiyong Liu, Justin B. Moore, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 7(5)
Date: 09/2010
Type: Document
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