The Oxford Handbook of the Social Science of ObesityJohn Cawley There is an urgent need to better understand the causes and consequences of obesity, and to learn what works to prevent or reduce obesity. The purpose of this volume is to accurately and conveniently summarize the findings and insights of obesity-related research from the full range of social sciences, including anthropology, economics, government, psychology, and sociology. The first section of the book explains how each social science discipline models human behavior (in particular, diet and physical activity), and summarizes the major strains of obesity research in that discipline. The second section provides important information for researchers, including a guide to publicly available social science data on obesity and an overview of the challenges to causal inference in obesity research. The third part of the book synthesizes social science research on specific causes and correlates of obesity, such as food advertising, food prices, and peers. The fourth section summarizes social science research on the consequences of obesity, such as lower wages, job absenteeism, and discrimination. The fifth and final section reviews the social science literature on obesity treatment and prevention, such as food taxes, school-based interventions, and medical treatments such as anti-obesity drugs and bariatric surgery. This volume is designed to meet the growing need of researchers for accurate and well-written summaries of the large amount of recent studies on this topic. This handbook will be of great use for researchers in every social science discipline, both bringing them up to date on the relevant research in their own discipline and allowing them to quickly and easily understand the cutting-edge research being produced in other disciplines. It is a volume that every obesity researcher will want to have on his or her shelf. These research summaries are valuable for researchers, public health officials, policymakers, nutritionists, and medical practitioners. |
Contents
1 Introduction | 1 |
DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES ON OBESITY | 7 |
DATA AND METHODS | 185 |
THE CAUSES AND CORRELATES OF DIET PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND OBESITY | 255 |
THE CONSEQUENCES OF OBESITY | 493 |
SOCIAL SCIENCE INSIGHTS INTO PREVENTION TREATMENT AND POLICY | 585 |
| 848 | |
| 873 | |
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Adolescent adults African American American Dietetic Association American Journal Assessment associated bariatric surgery behavior beverages Body Mass Index body weight Brownell calories causal Cawley changes Childhood Obesity Clinical Nutrition consumers consumption costs depression diabetes diet dietary disease eating effects energy intake environment environmental Epidemiology estimates evidence fast food Flegal food advertising food prices fruits and vegetables groups Health Economics Health Promotion Human impact income increase individuals influence instrumental variables International Journal interventions Journal of Health Journal of Obesity Journal of Public labeling levels Longitudinal measures Medical mortality National obesity prevention Obesity Research orlistat outcomes overweight and obesity participants Pediatrics percent physical activity Popkin population portion programs Psychology Public Health reduce relationship reported restaurant Review sample sibutramine social strategies studies television tobacco treatment variables Wansink weight gain weight loss weight stigma women World Health Organization