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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Obesity and weight control

A Longitudinal Study of Structural Risk Factors for Obesity and Diabetes Among American Indian Young Adults, 1994-2008
Investigates possible links between high rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes among American Indian young adults and other risk factors such as poverty, frequent changes of residence, and stress.
Author(s): Tennille L. Marley, Molly W. Metzger
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 12
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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Health in Rural Missouri: Childhood Obesity
Provides an overview of childhood obesity in Missouri. Provides county-level data on obesity in children aged 0 to 5. Discusses challenges rural communities face in addressing this issue and potential solutions.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Associations Between Neighborhood-Level Factors Related to a Healthful Lifestyle and Dietary Intake, Physical Activity, and Support for Obesity Prevention Polices among Rural Adults
Analyzes the cross-sectional associations between neighborhood- and individual-level factors related to a healthy lifestyle, diet, physical activity, and support for obesity prevention policies in rural eastern North Carolina adults.
Author(s): Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Thomas C. Keyserling, Larry Johnston, et al.
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 40(2), 276-284
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
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The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011–2012
Describes data from the National Survey of Children's Health demonstrating the health and well-being of children, as well as the family environment and the characteristics of the community that affect rural children and their families.
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Nutrition-Related Policy and Environmental Strategies to Prevent Obesity in Rural Communities: A Systematic Review of the Literature, 2002-2013
Summarizes findings from 29 rural studies of obesity prevention interventions using nutrition-related and environmental strategies. Includes interventions in school, tribal, farmers market, and other settings. Discusses common strategies for adapting and implementing these programs in rural communities.
Author(s): Larissa Calancie, Jennifer Leeman, Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 12
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
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Disparities Persist in Nutrition Policies and Practices in Minnesota Secondary Schools
Examines school nutrition policies and practices by school characteristics in Minnesota secondary schools between 2008 and 2012. Compares school nutrition policies by rural versus urban/suburban location and across three main areas: the availability of low-nutrient, energy dense (LNED) items, strategies to engage students in healthy eating, and restrictions on advertising LNED products around the school.
Author(s): Caitlin Eicher Caspi, Cynthia Davey, Toben F. Nelson, et al.
Citation: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(3), 419–425
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
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Lack of Healthy Food Options on Children's Menus of Restaurants in the Health-Disparate Dan River Region of Virginia and North Carolina, 2013
Community-based participatory research study describing the quality of food on children's menus in 137 restaurants located in three predominantly rural counties in Virginia and North Carolina, areas with high rates of diabetes and obesity among adults. Looked at healthy eating options for rural compared to urban locations and for areas that are predominantly Black, White, and mixed race.
Author(s): Jennie L. Hill, Nicole C. Olive, Clarice N. Waters, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 12
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
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Hawaiian Weight Management Program Aims for Healthy, Happy Lives
Highlights Kūlana Hawaii, a weight management program that helps Native Hawaiians and the medically underserved population on the islands of Oahu and Molokai.
Author(s): Jami Schumacher
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Physicians Providing Leadership for Rural Communities
Identifies ways in which physicians can address unfavorable child outcomes (e.g. unplanned pregnancy, tobacco addiction, mental health disorders) by working with other groups and forming coalitions within the rural community.
Author(s): David T. Tayloe Jr
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 76(1), 31-32
Date: 01/2015
Type: Document
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Evaluation of a Pilot Healthy Eating Intervention in Restaurants and Food Stores of a Rural Community: A Randomized Community Trial
Examines 2 rural Midwest U.S. communities, one community serving as the control and the other receiving the Waupaca Eating Smart (WES) intervention designed to improve the food environment and promote healthy eating in restaurants and supermarkets. Includes statistics on nutrition environment scores, customer satisfaction with food choice availability, and food purchase history for both before and after the intervention.
Author(s): Ana P. Martínez-Donate, Ann Josie Riggall, Amy M. Meinen, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 15, 136
Date: 2015
Type: Document
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