- Author:
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Source:
- http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=46432
Recently, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation asked Web site visitors and subscribers to choose the most influential childhood obesity research for the past year. The results are in, and the five articles receiving the most votes demonstrate the perceived importance of environment.
The article receiving the most votes, “Proximity of Fast-Food Restaurants to Schools and Adolescent Obesity,” indicated that adolescents with fast-food restaurants within one half mile of schools were more likely to be overweight or obese and less likely to consume fruits and vegetables. Two other articles in the top five emphasized the need to explore approaches for improving the availability and access to healthy eating options within school and neighborhood environments, while two more highlighted the importance of physical activity for prevention.
In particular, the article receiving the fifth highest number of votes, “Cost Effectiveness of Community-Based Physical Activity Interventions,” found that four types of community-based physical activity programs were cost-effective, reduced new cases of certain chronic diseases, and improved the quality of life. This article also won the 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Shepard Award for Best Paper in Prevention and Control.
The top five articles with the highest number of votes (in descending order) are:
1) Proximity of Fast-Food Restaurants to Schools and Adolescent Obesity
2) Influences of Physical and Social Neighborhood Environments on Children’s Physical Activity and Obesity
3) Association between School Food Environment and Practices and Body Mass Index of U.S. Public School Children
4) Creating Healthy Food and Eating Environments: Policy and Environmental Approaches
5) Cost Effectiveness of Community-Based Physical Activity Interventions
Many thanks to everyone who voted.
Over 900 people cast votes in the selection of the most influential childhood obesity articles from a list of 20. Voters came from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The largest percentage of voters was from California (16.8 percent); followed by Texas (5.5 percent); and Connecticut (4.4 percent). Thirty-one percent of voters were academics while the remaining voters represented nonprofits or associations, government, health institutions, health providers, foundations and the media.
Read the five articles above, as well as other nominated articles, here.
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