Main description:

Comprehensive in scope and meticulously researched, Handbook of Obesity Prevention analyzes the intricate causes of this public health crisis, and sets out concrete, multilevel strategies for meeting it head-on. This innovative handbook clearly defines obesity in clinical, epidemiologic, and financial terms, and offers guidelines for planning and implementing programs and evaluating results. This systematic approach to large-scale social and policy change gives all parties involved-from individual practitioners to multinational corporations-the tools to set and attain realistic goals based on solid evidence and best practice in public health.

A sample of topics covered:

The individual: risk factors and prevention across the lifespan, specific populations (pregnant women, ethnic and regional groups).

Levers for change in schools and workplaces.

Community settings: role of the physical environment.

"De-marketing" obesity: food industries and the media.

Grassroots action: consumers and communities.

The global obesity epidemic: rapid developments, potential solutions.

From obesity prevention to health promotion: the future of the field.

Its level of detail and wide range of topics make the Handbook of Obesity Prevention a bedrock sourcebook, overview, reference, or teaching text. Read by topic or cover to cover, here is accurate, up-to-date information for professionals and students in all areas of public health.

Contents:

Foreword.- Preface.- Section I: Overview and Background.- Why Obesity Prevention?.- What is Obesity-Definitions Matter.- Obesity Prevalence and Trends in the United States.- Costs of Obesity.- Prevention Concepts.- Section II: Understanding the Landscape.- Consumer Perspectives and Consumer Action.- The Role of Government in Preventing Obesity.- Planning and the Built Environment: Implications for Obesity Prevention.- The Food Industry Role in Obesity Prevention.- Media, Marketing and Advertising and Obesity.- The Global Context of Obesity.- Section III: Crafting Solutions.- Part 1: Influencing Systems and Institutions.- Organizational Change for Obesity Prevention-Perspectives, Possibilities and Potential Pitfalls.- Community-Based Approaches to Obesity Prevention: The Role of Environmental and Policy Change.- Health Care System Approaches to Obesity Prevention and Control.- Workplace Approaches to Obesity Prevention.- Obesity Prevention in Schools and Child Care Centers.- Part 2: Influencing Individuals and Families.- Individual Behavioral Change.- Obesity Risk Factors and Prevention in Early Life: Pre-gestation Through Infancy.- Prevention During Pre-School and Early Childhood Years.- Obesity Prevention During Preadolescence and Adolescence.- Obesity Prevention During Adulthood.- Section IV: Conclusion.- Charting a Course to a Healthier Future