In October 2006, the Society for Women's Health Research convened a workshop that focused on the behavioral and social influences on obesity in women across the life span with an emphasis on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and mental health. The purposes of the workshop were to examine the current state of the science related to behavioral influences on obesity in women across the life span; to determine the mechanisms, methods, and technical advances required for research progress in this area; and to develop an agenda for future research on behavioral influences on obesity in women. The workshop participants included psychologists, social scientists, clinicians, health educators, health services researchers, nutrition specialists, and epidemiologists, among others, who have expertise in obesity at critical life stages in women (childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, menopause, and older age). Discussions during the workshop focused on 4 specific topics: (1) the relationship between mental or emotional health and obesity in women; (2) the impact of social, cultural, and environmental factors on obesity in women; (3) the improvement of obesity research methodology; and (4) the development of obesity prevention and intervention strategies. Based on these discussions, participants proposed recommendations for future research.
OgdenCL, CarrollMD, CurtinLR, . Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999-2004. JAMA. 2006;295:1549–1555.
2.
ResnickEM, SimonVR, IskikianSO, . Future research in sex differences in obesity and cardiovascular disease: report by the Society for Women's Health Research. J Investig Med. 2007;55:75–85.
3.
Neumark-SztainerD.I'm, Like, So, Fat! Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices About Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World. New York: Guilford Press; 2005.
LatnerJD, StunkardAJ.Getting worse: the stigmatization of obese children. Obes Res. 2003;11:452–456.
6.
WilliamsonS, DelinC.Young children's figural selections: accuracy of reporting and body size dissatisfaction. Int J Eat Disord. 2001;29:80–84.
7.
DavisonKK, MarkeyCN, BirchLL.Etiology of body dissatisfaction and weight concerns among 5-year-old girls. Appetite. 2000;35:143–151.
8.
WardleJ, WallerJ, RapoportL.Body dissatisfaction and binge eating in obese women: the role of restraint and depression. Obes Res. 2001;9:778–787.
9.
WardleJ, WallerJ, FoxE.Age of onset and body dissatisfaction in obesity. Addict Behav. 2002;27:561–573.
10.
HarrisHE, EllisonGT, ClementS.Relative importance of heritable characteristics and lifestyle in the development of maternal obesity. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1999;53:66–74.
11.
BaetenJM, BukusiEA, LambeM.Pregnancy complications and outcomes among overweight and obese nulliparous women. Am J Public Health. 2001;91:436–440.
12.
PaeratakulS, WhiteMA, WilliamsonDA, . Sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and BMI in relation to self-perception of overweight. Obesity Res. 2002;10:345–350.
13.
RinderknechtK, SmithC.Body-image perceptions among urban native american youth. Obesity Res. 2002;10:315–327.
14.
JambekarSA, MashebRM, GriloCM.Gender differences in shame in patients with binge-eating disorder. Obesity Res. 2003;11:571–577.
15.
Young-HymanD, Tanofsky-KraffM, YanovskiSZ, . Psychological status and weight-related distress in overweight or at-risk-for-overweight children. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006;14:2249–2258.
16.
BurtVK, SteinK.Epidemiology of depression throughout the female life cycle. J Clin Psychiatry. 2002;63:9–15.
17.
AloysiA, Van DykK, SanoM.Women's cognitive and affective health and neuropsychiatry. Mt Sinai J Med. 2006;73:967–975.
18.
AngoldA, CostelloEJ.Puberty and depression. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2006;15:919–937, ix.
19.
GaynesBN, GavinB, Meltzer-BrodyS, . Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Screening Accuracy, and Screening Outcomes. Summary, Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 119. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2005.
20.
GoodmanE, WhitakerRC.A prospective study of the role of depression in the development and persistence of adolescent obesity. Pediatrics. 2002;110:497–504.
21.
PuhlRM, Moss-RacusinCA, SchwartzMB.Internalization of weight bias: Implications for binge eating and emotional well-being. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007;15:19–23.
22.
SimonGE, Von KorffM, SaundersK, . Association between obesity and psychiatric disorders in the US adult population. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63:824–830.
23.
PineDS, GoldsteinRB, WolkS, . The association between childhood depression and adulthood body mass index. Pediatrics. 2001;107:1049–1056.
24.
PineDS, CohenP, BrookJ, . Psychiatric symptoms in adolescence as predictors of obesity in early adulthood:a longitudinal study. Am J Public Health. 1997;87:1303–1310.
25.
Reichborn-KjennerudT, BulikCM, SullivanPF, . Psychiatric and Medical Symptoms in Binge Eating in the Absence of Compensatory Behaviors. Obesity Res. 2004;12:1445–1454.
26.
Tanofsky-KraffM, CohenML, YanovskiSZ, . A prospective study of psychological predictors of body fat gain among children at high risk for adult obesity. Pediatrics. 2006;117:1203–1209.
27.
FieldAE, AustinSB, TaylorCB, . Relation between dieting and weight change among preadolescents and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2003;112:900–906.
28.
GruczaRA, PrzybeckTR, CloningerCR.Prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in a community sample. Compr Psychiatry. 2007;48:124–131.
29.
BlissmerB, RiebeD, DyeG, . Health-related quality of life following a clinical weight loss intervention among overweight and obese adults: intervention and 24 month follow-up effects. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2006;4:43.
30.
RouxL, KuntzKM, DonaldsonC, . Economic evaluation of weight loss interventions in overweight and obese women. Obesity. 2006;14:1093–1106.
31.
TjepkemaM.Insomnia. Health Rep. 2005;17:9–25.
32.
SaletuM, SauterC, LalouschekW, . Is excessive daytime sleepiness a predictor of carotid atherosclerosis in sleep apnea?Atherosclerosis. 2007.
33.
LarocheHH, HoferTP, DavisMM.Adult fat intake associated with the presence of children in households: findings from NHANES III. J Am Board Fam Med. 2007;20:9–15.
34.
RheeKE, LumengJC, AppuglieseDP, . Parenting styles and overweight status in first grade. Pediatrics. 2006;117:2047–2054.
35.
BirchLL, FisherJO.Mothers’ child-feeding practices influence daughters’ eating and weight. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71:1054–1061.
36.
LeeY, MitchellDC, Smiciklas-WrightH, . Diet quality, nutrient intake, weight status, and feeding environments of girls meeting or exceeding recommendations for total dietary fat of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2001;107:e95. Available at: http://pediatrics.aapublications.org/cgi/reprint/107/6/e95. AccessedMay1, 2008.
37.
BirchLL, FisherJO, DavisonKK.Learning to overeat: maternal use of restrictive feeding practices promotes girls’ eating in the absence of hunger. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78:215–220.
38.
OvergaardD, GamborgM, GyntelbergF, . Psychological workload and weight gain among women with and without familial obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006;14:458–463.
39.
JabsJ, DevineCM.Time scarcity and food choices: an overview. Appetite. 2006;47:196–204.
40.
GillmanMW, Rifas-ShimanSL, FrazierAL, . Family dinner and diet quality among older children and adolescents. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9:235–240.
41.
Guidelines for school health programs to promote lifelong healthy eating. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR Recomm Rep. 1996;45:1–41.
42.
FrenchSA, StoryM, FulkersonJA, . Food environment in secondary schools: a la carte, vending machines, and food policies and practices. Am J Public Health. 2003;93:1161–1167.
43.
DaveeAM, BlumJE, DevoreRL, . The vending and a la carte policy intervention in Maine public high schools. Prev Chronic Dis. 2005;2Spec no:A14.
44.
Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sport: A Report to the President From the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education. Washington, DC: US Secretary for Health and Human Services and US Secretary of Education; 2000.
BhuiyanAR, GustatJ, SrinivasanSR, . Differences in body shape representations among young adults from a biracial (Black-White), semirural community: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2003;158:792–797.
48.
CachelinFM, RebeckRM, ChungGH, . Does ethnicity influence body-size preference? A comparison of body image and body size. Obes Res. 2002;10:158–166.
49.
HillJO, PetersJC.Environmental contributions to the obesity epidemic. Science. 1998;280:1371–1374.
BurdetteHL, WaddenTA, WhitakerRC.Neighborhood safety, collective efficacy, and obesity in women with young children. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006;14:518–525.
52.
GlassTA, RasmussenMD, SchwartzBS.Neighborhoods and obesity in older adults: the Baltimore Memory Study. Am J Prev Med. 2006;31:455–463.
53.
OrrL, FeinsJD, JacobR, . Moving to Opportunities Interim Impacts Evaluation: 2003. US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research, Washington, DC; 2003. Available at: http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/MTOFullReport.pdf. AccessedMay1, 2008.
54.
EberhardtMS, PamukER.The importance of place of residence: examining health in rural and nonrural areas. Am J Public Health. 2004;94:1682–1686.
55.
ParksSE, HousemannRA, BrownsonRC.Differential correlates of physical activity in urban and rural adults of various socioeconomic backgrounds in the United States. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2003;57:29–35.
56.
Services USDoHaH.Healthy People 2010. 2nd ed. With Understanding and Improving Health and Objectives for Improving Health. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2000.
57.
DarmonN, FergusonEL, BriendA.A cost constraint alone has adverse effects on food selection and nutrient density: an analysis of human diets by linear programming. J Nutr. 2002;132:3764–3771.
58.
NielsenSJ, Siega-RizAM, PopkinBM.Trends in energy intake in U.S. between 1977 and 1996: similar shifts seen across age groups. Obes Res. 2002;10:370–378.
59.
NielsenSJ, PopkinBM.Patterns and trends in food portion sizes, 1977-1998. JAMA. 2003;289:450–453.
60.
YoungLR, NestleM.The contribution of expanding portion sizes to the US obesity epidemic. Am J Public Health. 2002;92:246–249.
61.
BirchLL, DavisonKK.Family environmental factors influencing the developing behavioral controls of food intake and childhood overweight. Pediatric clinics of North America. 2001;48:893–907.
62.
Orlet FisherJ, RollsBJ, BirchLL. Children's bite size and intake of an entree are greater with large portions than with age-appropriate or self-selected portions. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77:1164–1170.
63.
LevitskyDA, YounT.The more food young adults are served, the more they overeat. J Nutr. 2004;134:2546–2549.
64.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Committee on Public Education. American Academy of Pediatrics : Children, adolescents, and television. Pediatrics. 2001;107:423–426.
65.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Committee on Public Education. Media education. Pediatrics. 1999;104:341–343.
66.
CertainLK, KahnRS.Prevalence, correlates, and trajectory of television viewing among infants and toddlers. Pediatrics. 2002;109:634–642.
67.
WiechaJL, PetersonKE, LudwigDS, . When children eat what they watch: impact of television viewing on dietary intake in youth. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006;160:436–442.
68.
Boynton-JarrettR, ThomasTN, PetersonKE, . Impact of television viewing patterns on fruit and vegetable consumption among adolescents. Pediatrics. 2003;112:1321–1326.
69.
KotzK, StoryM.Food advertisements during children's Saturday morning television programming: are they consistent with dietary recommendations?J Am Diet Assoc. 1994;94:1296–1300.
70.
McGinnisJM, GootmanJA, KraakVI, eds.Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2006.
71.
Center for Science in the Public Interest. Pestering Parents: How Food Companies Market Obesity to Children. Washington, DC: Center for Science in the Public Interest; 2003.
72.
National Advertising Review Council. Guidance for Food Advertising Self-Regulation. White Paper. New York: National Advertising Review Council; 2004May28.
73.
EigJ.Food companies grab kids’ attention by packaging products as toys, games. Wall St J. 2001October24;Sect. 1.
74.
FieldAE, CheungL, WolfAM, . Exposure to the mass media and weight concerns among girls. Pediatrics. 1999;103:E36.
75.
FieldAE, CamargoCAJr, TaylorCB, . Relation of peer and media influences to the development of purging behaviors among preadolescent and adolescent girls. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999;153:1184–1189.
76.
HawkinsN, RichardsP, GranleyH, . The impact of exposure to the thin-ideal media image on women. Eating disorders. 2004;12:35–50.
77.
TuckerLA, BagwellM.Television viewing and obesity in adult females. Am J Public Health. 1991;81:908–911.
78.
TuckerLA, FriedmanGM.Television viewing and obesity in adult males. Am J Public Health. 1989;79:516–518.
79.
StoryM, FaulknerP.The prime time diet: a content analysis of eating behavior and food messages in television program content and commercials. Am J Public Health. 1990;80:738–740.
80.
JefferyRW, FrenchSA.Epidemic obesity in the United States: are fast foods and television viewing contributing?Am J Public Health. 1998;88:277–280.
81.
HuFB, LeitzmannMF, StampferMJ, . Physical Activity and Television Watching in Relation to Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Men. Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:1542–1548.
82.
HuFB, LiTY, ColditzGA, . Television Watching and Other Sedentary Behaviors in Relation to Risk of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Women. JAMA. 2003;289:1785–1791.
83.
SidneyS, SternfeldB, HaskellWL, . Television viewing and cardiovascular risk factors in young adults: the CARDIA study. Ann Epidemiol. 1996;6:154–159.
84.
DunstanDW, SalmonJ, OwenN, . Physical Activity and Television Viewing in Relation to Risk of Undiagnosed Abnormal Glucose Metabolism in Adults. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:2603–2609.
85.
KoplanJP, LivermanCT, KraakVI, eds.Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicince, National Academies Press2005.
86.
McGinnisJM, AppletonJG, KraakVI, eds.Food Marketing to Children and Youth: Threat or Opportunity?Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine/Committee on Food Marketing and the Diets of Children and Youth. National Academies Press; 2006.
DietzW, LeeJ, WechslerH, . Health plans’ role in preventing overweight in children and adolescents. Health Aff (Millwood). 2007;26:430–440.
89.
KunkelD, McKinleyC.Developing ratings for food products: lessons learned from media rating systems. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007;39:S25–S31.
90.
Kraft foods reformulates hundreds of U.S. products as part of voluntary trans fat reduction efforts. Kraft Foods, 2006. Available at: http://www.kraft.com/newsroom/12202005.html. AccessedMay4, 2007.
McLeroyKR, BibeauD, StecklerA, . An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Educ Behav. 1988;15:351–377.
93.
MaggardMA, ShugarmanLR, SuttorpM, . Meta-analysis: surgical treatment of obesity. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142:547–559.
94.
BuchwaldH, AvidorY, BraunwaldE, . Bariatric surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2004;292:1724–1737.
95.
SjostromL, NarbroK, SjostromCD, . Effects of bariatric surgery on mortality in Swedish obese subjects. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:741–752.
96.
HuhmanME, PotterLD, DukeJC, . Evaluation of a national physical activity intervention for children: VERB campaign, 2002-2004. Am J Prev Med. 2007;32:38–43.
97.
GaudiosiJ.In fitness, a high tech 'revolution.'Washington Post; 2006April28.
TanB, AzizAR, ChuaK, . Aerobic demands of the dance simulation game. Int J Sports Med. 2002;23:125–129.
100.
HeiatA, VaccarinoV, KrumholzHM.An evidence-based assessment of federal guidelines for overweight and obesity as they apply to elderly persons. Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:1194–1203.
101.
CorradaMM, KawasCH, MozaffarF, . Association of Body Mass Index and Weight Change with All-Cause Mortality in the Elderly. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;163:938–949.
102.
VisscherTL, SeidellJC, MolariusA, . A comparison of body mass index, waist-hip ratio and waist circumference as predictors of all-cause mortality among the elderly: the Rotterdam study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001;25:1730–1735.
103.
WooJ, HoSC, YuAL, . Is waist circumference a useful measure in predicting health outcomes in the elderly?Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2002;26:1349–1355.
