Main description:

This handbook provides a demographic examination of global obesity trends by bringing together the range of research conducted in this field by demographers, sociologists, epidemiologists, and other quantitatively and demographically oriented social scientists. It utilizes a multidisciplinary demographic approach to provide insights into the global prevalence and mechanisms of obesity, as well as the population level impacts of rising obesity. Major sections include: global obesity trends and prevalence; obesity and demographic structures, processes, and characteristics; emerging areas of study; and obesity in LGBAT populations. This handbook provides readers with a broad understanding of population-based research on obesity and serves as a resource for scholars, students, policymakers, and researchers.

Contents:

Section I. Global Obesity Patterns and Implications.

1. Global Obesity Patterns, an Introduction

Ginny Garcia-Alexander and Dudley L. Poston, Jr.

2. Obesity: A Long-Term Global Challenge

James Bentham and Mariachiara Di Cesare

3. Economic Costs of Obesity in Europe

Jutta Viinikainen, Petri Boeckerman, and Jaakko Pehkonen

4. Impact of Obesity on Life Expectancy Among Different European Countries, 1975-2012

Nikoletta Vidra, Sergi Trias-Llimos, and Fanny Janssen

5. Obesity with Chinese Characteristics? Prevalence and Determinants of Overweight and Obesity in China

Jiaxin Gu, Yue Yuan, Kenneth C. Land, and Qiang Fu

Section II. Obesity and Demographic Processes, Structures, and Characteristics.

6. Obesity and Mortality

Neil K. Mehta

7. Obesity and Immigration

Ginny Garcia-Alexander and Amethyst Morgan Marroquin

8. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in U.S. Obesity Prevalence: What Have We Learned from Demographic and Population Health Science?

Michelle L. Frisco, Kelsey Shaulis, Jennifer Van Hook, and Robert A. Hummer

9. Race/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Obesity

Patrick M. Krueger, Shawna F. Bayerman, and Eric N. Reither

10. Sibling Effects on the Development of Obesity

Toni Falbo and Shengjie Lin

Section III. Emerging Areas of Study.

11. Fit for Christ or Gluttons for God? An Overview of Research on Religious Involvement and Body Mass

Terrence D. Hill, Samantha M. Galindo, and Amy M. Burdette

12. Psychosocial Stressors and Obesity

Adolfo G. Cuevas, Natalie Eckert, and Keri Carvalho

13. The Neighborhood Environment and Overweight/Obesity

Angelica Lopez and Kathryn Freeman Anderson

14. Treatment and Outcome Disparities for Patients with Obesity in Emergency Medical Services

Jamie Kennel, Hyeyoung Woo, and Ginny Garcia-Alexander

Section IV. Obesity in Sexual Minority Populations.

15. Obesity Prevalence and Trends in the Asexual and Sexual Populations

Dudley L. Poston, Jr., Ceylan Engin, and Yagmur Cagatay

16. Are Gay Men More Fit? Obesity and Overweight Differences among Gay and Straight Men

Dudley L. Poston, Jr. and Sharon Baker-Hughes

17. Prevalence and Trends in Obesity and Overweight among U.S. Women: Do Lesbians Differ from Straight Women?

Carol Walther and Dudley L. Poston, Jr.

18. Obesity and Bisexuality: Is Being 'Bi" and Issue?

Mary Ann Davis

19. Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Across Gender Identities

Mary Ann Davis, D'Lane Compton, and Nicole Farris

20. Conclusions, Review, and Needed Research.

Ginny Garcia-Alexander