The Oxford Handbook of the Social Science of Obesity

ISBN-13: 9780199736362 / Angielski / Twarda / 2011 / 912 str.

John Cawley

Opis

There is an urgent need to better understand the causes and consequences of obesity, and to learn what works to prevent or reduce obesity. This volume accurately and conveniently summarizes the findings and insights of obesity-related research from the full range of social sciences including anthropology, economics, government, psychology, and sociology. It is an excellent resource for researchers in these areas, 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. The Oxford Handbook of the Social Science of Obesity is a critical reference for obesity researchers and is also valuable for public health officials, policymakers, nutritionists, and medical practitioners. 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 research literatures on obesity in that discipline. The second section provides important practical 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.

Recenzje

Comprehensive and impressive... For those who want to master the last two decades of social science research on obesity by reading a single volume, [t]his handbook provides an accessible crash course.

O autorze

John Cawley is an associate professor in the Department of Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University. His primary field of research is health economics, with a focus on the economics of obesity. He studies the effect of body weight on labor market outcomes such as wage rates, unemployment, employment disability, and the transition from welfare to work. He also investigates the role of body weight in youth behavior, such as skill attainment, smoking and sexual activity. His other research concerns treatments for obesity, such as anti-obesity drugs and bariatric surgery. He is also evaluating workplace and school interventions to prevent or reduce obesity. Other research concerns the impact of food advertising on the consumption of specific branded food items by children and youth.