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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Exploring Modern Trends And Prevention Strategies For Childhood Obesity: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Anya E. Bogen Apr 2023

Exploring Modern Trends And Prevention Strategies For Childhood Obesity: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Anya E. Bogen

Honors Theses

This literature review seeks to provide an overview of the current research on childhood obesity. The study examines the prevalence and causes of childhood obesity, including genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The review also discusses the health consequences associated with childhood obesity, such as the increased risk for chronic diseases and psychological and social problems. Additionally, the review explores the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent childhood obesity, including individual lifestyle modifications, education from health practitioners and school programs, and global, national, and state programs to promote wellness. The literature review concludes that childhood obesity is a complex and multifactorial …


Soda, Water, And Convenience: An Evaluation Of The Mexican Soda Tax, Benjamin Hager Apr 2021

Soda, Water, And Convenience: An Evaluation Of The Mexican Soda Tax, Benjamin Hager

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to evaluate the Mexican soda tax of 2014 by exploring the reasons for the tax and the underlying factors that the tax seems to ignore. This soda tax, in particular, was implemented to address obesity by curbing the consumption of sugary soft drinks due to the large quantities consumed by the Mexican populous. However, as this thesis shows there are some potential pitfalls in this type of obesity prevention policy. By exploring potable water data from the World Bank, the rural and urban noncommunicable disease rates of two Mexican states, and the penetration of levels of the …


Baseline Health Assessment Of A Rural Delta Community, Sydney Mitchell May 2020

Baseline Health Assessment Of A Rural Delta Community, Sydney Mitchell

Honors Theses

The Lower Mississippi Delta is characterized by poverty, chronic health issues, health disparities, and food insecurity. The rural Delta communities are primarily African American, experiencing disproportionately higher rates of poverty, job loss, and chronic health problems. Historically, chronic health issues have persisted in these areas over time, including obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, which have only seemed to increase in this region. The food environment in this rural region tends to assist in the creation of the largely obesogenic population which, in turn, contributes to the increased prevalence of diabetes and hypertension and a lower quality of life. Many residents in …


The Business Cycle And Health: An Analysis Of How Macroeconomic Conditions Impact Health Outcomes In The U.S., Talitha Kumaresan Mar 2019

The Business Cycle And Health: An Analysis Of How Macroeconomic Conditions Impact Health Outcomes In The U.S., Talitha Kumaresan

Honors Theses

The U.S. spends about twice as much per person on healthcare, yet the disease burden remains higher in the U.S. than in comparable countries (Sawyer and Cox 2018; Sawyer and Gonzales 2017). Although health status is perceived to be an outcome of individual decision making, the business cycle also affects health. While the effect of macroeconomic shocks on health outcomes has been studied extensively, results remain inconclusive. This analysis uses longitudinal data over 30 years and panel data models to examine the effect of macroeconomic conditions on obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, congestive heart failure, and heart attack or myocardial infarction. …


The Connection Between Gasoline Prices And Physical Activity: Potential Ways To Combat The Rise In Obesity, John Perrotti Jun 2017

The Connection Between Gasoline Prices And Physical Activity: Potential Ways To Combat The Rise In Obesity, John Perrotti

Honors Theses

It is widely understood that one of the most significant public health challenges in the United States is obesity which could rightly be considered an epidemic. Accompanied by billions of dollars in both explicit and implicit costs obesity places great strain on the health care system and economy as a whole. Years of scientific research has linked obesity to three main determinants: genetics over-eating and lack of physical activity. Recent research has introduced the study of the connection between the macro-economy and rates of physical activity thus linking economic variables to obesity. This paper investigates the connection between gasoline prices …


Product Bundling In Fast Food Advertisements And The Relationship With Consumers' Willingness To Pay, Madison Shapiro Jun 2017

Product Bundling In Fast Food Advertisements And The Relationship With Consumers' Willingness To Pay, Madison Shapiro

Honors Theses

Obesity rates have been rapidly increasing in recent years. This is a problem especially for low-income families and for households without access to quality food. Consequently fast food restaurants are a solution for those who cannot afford healthy food. The large number and variety of fast food restaurants coupled with their aggressive advertisements cheap prices and large portions may have an effect on consumption and obesity rates. This study explored the relationship between types of advertisements utilized by fast food restaurants and consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) to see if bundled advertisements have a significant impact on WTP. Bundles also …


From The Gas Pump To Our Hips: The Impact That U.S. Corn-Ethanol Production Has On America's Obesity Epidemic, Scott Reddy Jun 2012

From The Gas Pump To Our Hips: The Impact That U.S. Corn-Ethanol Production Has On America's Obesity Epidemic, Scott Reddy

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect that increased U.S. corn-ethanol production has on food prices and, in turn, the diet choices of the U.S. population. Previous literature has confirmed the linkages between the energy market and the corn market and has separately examined the relationship between relative food prices and obesity. The purpose of this study is to link ethanol production to obesity. The first two sections of the model will utilize various econometric techniques to test the existence of certain empirical relationships over the period of January 1982-May 2011. The final stage will employ ordinary …


Obesity In The United States: The Food Environment And How It Is Linked To Obesity, Meredith Allenick Jun 2012

Obesity In The United States: The Food Environment And How It Is Linked To Obesity, Meredith Allenick

Honors Theses

The rising obesity rates have been constantly discussed in the media, academia, science, and society in the United States; from root causes and possible solutions to effects on individual health and the health of our nation. In my thesis, I focus on the social and economic causes of obesity, especially on the food environment in the United States. My ultimate goal is to effectively argue that obesity a problem rooted in society, often caused by factors such as the price of food, the availability of food, and the mass marketing of food to both children and adults.


Rising Obesity: An Unintended Consequence Of The Anitsmoking Campaign?, Hunaiz Patel Jun 2012

Rising Obesity: An Unintended Consequence Of The Anitsmoking Campaign?, Hunaiz Patel

Honors Theses

Obesity is the fastest growing health issue currently in the United States, as its prevalence has risen to over 30%, up from 14% in 1980 (Chou et al. 2004). As a result, the percentage of the population dealing with chronic health conditions has also been on the rise. Although the obesity epidemic is on the rise, smoking rates in the United States have declined from 33% to under 20% over the same time period, and from about 42% in 1965 (Todeschini et al. 2010). Thus, many economists have inferred that the declining smoking prevalence may partially be contributing to the …