This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Obesity and weight control

Caring for Pennsylvanians with Dementia and Related Disorders: An Analysis of Needs and Capacity in Rural Areas, 2024 to 2034
Examines potential demand for care of people living with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder (ADRD) in rural Pennsylvania. Features county-level maps showing numbers of various types of care facilities and their capacity, and statistics including projections of the population aged 65+ and rate of increase from 2020 to 2040, age-adjusted mortality rate from ADRD, projections of number of ADRD cases by 2040, and impact of smoking and obesity on ADRD, with breakdowns by county.
Author(s): Dara P. Bourassa, Sara A. Grove
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
view details
Is Walk Score a Useful Tool for Measuring Walkability in Rural Communities?
Discuss the utility of measuring walkability in rural communities. Highlights the differences in rural infrastructure and the physical activity practices in rural communities.
Author(s): Jay E. Maddock, Cindy Perry, Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e12895
Date: 11/2024
view details
Disparities Between Rural and Urban Communities: Response to 18 Months of Diet and Exercise Versus Control for Knee Osteoarthritis and Overweight or Obesity
Examines intervention outcomes related to pain, function, mobility, BMI, and health-related quality of life among rural and urban dwellers in North Carolina. Utilizes data from the Weight Loss and Exercise for Communities with Arthritis in North Carolina (WE-CAN) program, which provided diet and exercise (D+E) and attention control (C) interventions to 823 older adults.
Author(s): Stephen P. Messier, Megan G. Monroe, Leigh F. Callahan, et al.
Citation: Arthritis Care & Research, 77(1), 69-76
Date: 11/2024
view details
Feasibility of a Culturally Adapted Technology-Delivered, Family-Based Childhood Obesity Intervention for Latino/Hispanic Families in Rural Nebraska: The Hispanic Family Connections Study Protocol
Describes a study protocol to examine the feasibility of delivering a phone-delivered, culturally-tailored family-based childhood obesity (FBCO) program to Latino/Hispanic (L/H) families in rural Nebraska. Provides an overview of study design and implementation, and discusses the importance of addressing barriers to FBCO interventions for rural, L/H families.
Author(s): Fabiana Almeida Brito, Thais Favero Alves, Natalia Santos, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 14, e089186
Date: 10/2024
view details
Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot Study of an Online Weight Loss Program in Rural, Underserved Communities
Examines the feasibility and impact of implementing an online weight loss program in rural, underserved communities. Follows results of the 1-year intervention, analyzing 16 recruited individuals and their ability to attend nutrition and lifestyle education sessions, complete diet and weight monitoring, and achieve weight loss.
Author(s): Ashleigh Oliveira, Nouf Alfouzan, Jin Yu, et al.
Citation: Peer J Life and Environment, 12
Date: 10/2024
view details
The State of Obesity 2024: Better Policies for a Healthier America
Presents data on adult and childhood obesity rates, with breakdowns by state and select demographic characteristics. Examines current and emerging policies, provides funding opportunities, and outlines recommended policy actions. Includes a special feature about food environments and systems.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Madison West
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
view details
Place-Based, Intersectional Variation in Caregiving Patterns and Health Outcomes Among Informal Caregivers in the United States
Examines the correlation between informal caregivers' health and well-being and race/ethnicity, sex, and rural-urban status. Utilizes 2021-2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to analyze rural versus urban differences in informal caregiver demographics, type and time spent caregiving, and health status.
Author(s): Steven A. Cohen, Caitlin C. Nash, Mary L. Greaney
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 12
Date: 08/2024
view details
Rural Louisiana Programs Create Healthier Schools
Features two Delta States Rural Development Network grantees working to improve children's health in rural Louisiana schools. A high school program focuses on preventing diabetes and an elementary school program offers nutrition and physical activity opportunities to students.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Examining Rurality and Social Determinants of Health among Women with GDM: A 15-Year Comprehensive Population Analysis
Examines maternal demographic characteristics, including rurality, and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) development over time. Utilizes birth record vital statistics of 589,605 women with live births in Kansas from 2005 to 2019. Compares rural and urban trends in maternal overweight, obesity, and GDM.
Author(s): Umama Ali, Laila Cure, Rhonda K. Lewis, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 24, 467
Date: 08/2024
view details
The State of Health in Tennessee: 2024 Annual Report to the 113th Tennessee General Assembly
Assesses the health status of Tennesseans across the four areas of the State Health Plan Framework: A Healthy Start, A Healthy Life, a Healthy Environment, and a Healthy System of Care. Includes a section on social determinants of health and features statistics on various populations and aspects of healthcare, including rural hospital closures.
Additional links: A Healthy Environment: Housing, A Healthy Life: Income and Poverty, A Healthy Start: Poverty & Food Insecurity, A Healthy System of Care: Access
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details