a thesis statement about obesity

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How To Write A Strong Obesity Research Paper?

Table of Contents

Obesity is such a disease when the percent of body fat has negative effects on a person’s health. The topic is very serious as obesity poisons the lives of many teens, adults and even children around the whole world.

Can you imagine that according to WHO (World Health Organization) there were 650 million obese adults and 13% of all 18-year-olds were also obese in 2016? And scientists claim that the number of them is continually growing.

There are many reasons behind the problem, but no matter what they are, lots of people suffer from the wide spectrum of consequences of obesity.

Basic guidelines on obesity research paper

Writing any research paper requires sticking to an open-and-shut structure. It has three basic parts: Introduction, Main Body, and Conclusion.

According to the general rules, you start with the introduction where you provide your reader with some background information and give brief definitions of terms used in the text. Next goes the thesis of your paper.

The thesis is the main idea of all the research you’ve done written in a precise and simple manner, usually in one sentence.

The main body is where you present the statements and ideas which disclose the topic of your research.

In conclusion, you sum up all the text and make a derivation.

How to write an obesity thesis statement?

As I’ve already noted, the thesis is the main idea of your work. What is your position? What do you think about the issue? What is that you want to prove in your essay?

Answer one of those questions briefly and precisely.

Here are some examples of how to write a thesis statement for an obesity research paper:

• The main cause of obesity is determined to be surfeit and unhealthy diet.
• Obesity can be prevented no matter what genetic penchants are.
• Except for being a problem itself, obesity may result in diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and many others.
• Obesity is a result of fast-growing civilization development.
• Not only do obese people have health issues but also they have troubles when it comes to socialization.

20 top-notch obesity research paper topics

Since the problem of obesity is very multifaceted and has a lot of aspects to discover, you have to define a topic you want to cover in your essay.

How about writing a fast food and obesity research paper or composing a topic in a sphere of fast food? Those issues gain more and more popularity nowadays.

A couple of other decent ideas at your service.

• The consequences of obesity.
• Obesity as a mental problem.
• Obesity and social standards: the problem of proper self-fulfilment.
• Overweight vs obesity: the use of BMI (Body Mass Index).
• The problem of obesity in your country.
• Methods of prevention the obesity.
• Is lack of self-control a principal factor of becoming obese?
• The least obvious reasons for obesity.
• Obesity: the history of the disease.
• The effect of mass media in augmentation of the obesity level.
• The connection between depression and obesity.
• The societal stigma of obese people.
• The role of legislation in reducing the level of obesity.
• Obesity and cultural aspect.
• Who has the biggest part of the responsibility for obesity: persons themselves, local authorities, government, mass media or somebody else?
• Why are obesity rates constantly growing?
• Who is more prone to obesity, men or women? Why?
• Correlation between obesity and life expectancy.
• The problem of discrimination of the obese people at the workplace.
• Could it be claimed that such movements as body-positive and feminism encourage obesity to a certain extent?

Best sample of obesity research paper outline

An outline is a table of contents which is made at the very beginning of your writing. It helps structurize your thoughts and create a plan for the whole piece in advance.

…Need a sample?

Here is one! It fits the paper on obesity in the U.S.

Introduction

• Hook sentence.
• Thesis statement.
• Transition to Main Body.
• America’s modern plague: obesity.
• Statistics and obesity rates in America.
• Main reasons of obesity in America.
• Social, cultural and other aspects involved in the problem of obesity.
• Methods of preventing and treating obesity in America.
• Transition to Conclusion.
• Unexpected twist or a final argument.
• Food for thought.

Specifics of childhood obesity research paper

A separate question in the problem of obesity is overweight children.

It is singled out since there are quite a lot of differences in clinical pictures, reasons and ways of treatment of an obese adult and an obese child.

Writing a child obesity research paper requires a more attentive approach to the analysis of its causes and examination of family issues. There’s a need to consider issues like eating habits, daily routine, predispositions and other.

Top 20 childhood obesity research paper topics

We’ve gathered the best ideas for your paper on childhood obesity. Take one of those to complete your best research!

• What are the main causes of childhood obesity in your country?
• Does obesity in childhood increase the chance of obesity in adulthood?
• Examine whether a child’s obesity affects academic performance.
• Are parents always guilty if their child is obese?
• What methods of preventing childhood obesity are used in your school?
• What measures the government can take to prevent children’s obesity?
• Examine how childhood obesity can result in premature development of chronic diseases.
• Are obese or overweight parents more prone to have an obese child?
• Why childhood obesity rates are constantly growing around the whole world?
• How to encourage children to lead a healthy style of life?
• Are there more junk and fast food options for children nowadays? How is that related to childhood obesity rates?
• What is medical treatment for obese children?
• Should fast food chains have age limits for their visitors?
• How should parents bring up their child in order to prevent obesity?
• The problem of socializing in obese children.
• Examine the importance of a proper healthy menu in schools’ cafeterias.
• Should the compulsory treatment of obese children be started up?
• Excess of care as the reason for childhood obesity.
• How can parents understand that their child is obese?
• How can the level of wealth impact the chance of a child’s obesity?

Childhood obesity outline example

As the question of childhood obesity is a specific one, it would differ from the outline on obesity we presented previously.

Here is a sample you might need. The topic covers general research on child obesity.

• The problem of childhood obesity.
• World’s childhood obesity rates.
• How to diagnose the disease.
• Predisposition and other causes of child obesity.
• Methods of treatment for obese children.
• Preventive measures to avoid a child’s obesity.

On balance…

The topic of obesity is a long-standing one. It has numerous aspects to discuss, sides to examine, and data to analyze.

Any topic you choose might result in brilliant work.

How can you achieve that?

Follow the basic requirements, plan the content beforehand, and be genuinely interested in the topic.

Option 2. Choose free time over struggle on the paper. We’ve got dozens of professional writers ready to help you out. Order your best paper within several seconds and enjoy your free time. We’ll cover you up!

10 College Tips for Sophomore Students

How to format a college essay.

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Obesity Essay

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

Obesity Essay: A Complete Guide and Topics

By: Nova A.

11 min read

Reviewed By: Jacklyn H.

Published on: Aug 31, 2021

Are you assigned to write an essay about obesity? The first step is to define obesity.

The obesity epidemic is a major issue facing our country right now. It's complicated- it could be genetic or due to your environment, but either way, there are ways that you can fix it!

Learn all about what causes weight gain and get tips on how you can get healthy again.

On this Page

What is Obesity

What is obesity? Obesity and BMI (body mass index) are both tools of measurement that are used by doctors to assess body fat according to the height, age, and gender of a person. If the BMI is between 25 to 29.9, that means the person has excess weight and body fat.

If the BMI exceeds 30, that means the person is obese. Obesity is a condition that increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions like metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and even some types of cancer.

Obesity Definition

Obesity is defined by the World Health Organization as an accumulation of abnormal and excess body fat that comes with several risk factors. It is measured by the body mass index BMI, body weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of a person’s height (in meters).

Obesity in America

Obesity is on the verge of becoming an epidemic as 1 in every 3 Americans can be categorized as overweight and obese. Currently, America is an obese country, and it continues to get worse.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Causes of obesity

Do you see any obese or overweight people around you?

You likely do.

This is because fast-food chains are becoming more and more common, people are less active, and fruits and vegetables are more expensive than processed foods, thus making them less available to the majority of society. These are the primary causes of obesity.

Obesity is a disease that affects all age groups, including children and elderly people.

Now that you are familiar with the topic of obesity, writing an essay won’t be that difficult for you.

How to Write an Obesity Essay

The format of an obesity essay is similar to writing any other essay. If you need help regarding how to write an obesity essay, it is the same as writing any other essay.

Obesity Essay Introduction

The trick is to start your essay with an interesting and catchy sentence. This will help attract the reader's attention and motivate them to read further. You don’t want to lose the reader’s interest in the beginning and leave a bad impression, especially if the reader is your teacher.

A hook sentence is usually used to open the introductory paragraph of an essay in order to make it interesting. When writing an essay on obesity, the hook sentence can be in the form of an interesting fact or statistic.

Head on to this detailed article on hook examples to get a better idea.

Once you have hooked the reader, the next step is to provide them with relevant background information about the topic. Don’t give away too much at this stage or bombard them with excess information that the reader ends up getting bored with. Only share information that is necessary for the reader to understand your topic.

Next, write a strong thesis statement at the end of your essay, be sure that your thesis identifies the purpose of your essay in a clear and concise manner. Also, keep in mind that the thesis statement should be easy to justify as the body of your essay will revolve around it.

Body Paragraphs

The details related to your topic are to be included in the body paragraphs of your essay. You can use statistics, facts, and figures related to obesity to reinforce your thesis throughout your essay.

If you are writing a cause-and-effect obesity essay, you can mention different causes of obesity and how it can affect a person’s overall health. The number of body paragraphs can increase depending on the parameters of the assignment as set forth by your instructor.

Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that is the crux of its content. It is necessary to write an engaging topic sentence as it helps grab the reader’s interest. Check out this detailed blog on writing a topic sentence to further understand it.

End your essay with a conclusion by restating your research and tying it to your thesis statement. You can also propose possible solutions to control obesity in your conclusion. Make sure that your conclusion is short yet powerful.

Obesity Essay Examples

Essay about Obesity (PDF)

Childhood Obesity Essay (PDF)

Obesity in America Essay (PDF)

Essay about Obesity Cause and Effects (PDF)

Satire Essay on Obesity (PDF) 

Obesity Argumentative Essay (PDF)

Obesity Essay Topics

Choosing a topic might seem an overwhelming task as you may have many ideas for your assignment. Brainstorm different ideas and narrow them down to one, quality topic.

If you need some examples to help you with your essay topic related to obesity, dive into this article and choose from the list of obesity essay topics.

Childhood Obesity

As mentioned earlier, obesity can affect any age group, including children. Obesity can cause several future health problems as children age.

Here are a few topics you can choose from and discuss for your childhood obesity essay:

• What are the causes of increasing obesity in children?
• Obese parents may be at risk for having children with obesity.
• What is the ratio of obesity between adults and children?
• What are the possible treatments for obese children?
• Are there any social programs that can help children with combating obesity?
• Has technology boosted the rate of obesity in children?
• Are children spending more time on gadgets instead of playing outside?
• Schools should encourage regular exercises and sports for children.
• How can sports and other physical activities protect children from becoming obese?
• Can childhood abuse be a cause of obesity among children?
• What is the relationship between neglect in childhood and obesity in adulthood?
• Does obesity have any effect on the psychological condition and well-being of a child?
• Are electronic medical records effective in diagnosing obesity among children?
• Obesity can affect the academic performance of your child.
• Do you believe that children who are raised by a single parent can be vulnerable to obesity?
• You can promote interesting exercises to encourage children.
• What is the main cause of obesity, and why is it increasing with every passing day?
• Schools and colleges should work harder to develop methodologies to decrease childhood obesity.
• The government should not allow schools and colleges to include sweet or fatty snacks as a part of their lunch.
• If a mother is obese, can it affect the health of the child?
• Children who gain weight frequently can develop chronic diseases.

Obesity Argumentative Essay Topics

Do you want to write an argumentative essay on the topic of obesity?

The following list can help you with that!

Here are some examples you can choose from for your argumentative essay about obesity:

• Can vegetables and fruits decrease the chances of obesity?
• Should you go for surgery to overcome obesity?
• Are there any harmful side effects?
• Can obesity be related to the mental condition of an individual?
• Are parents responsible for controlling obesity in childhood?
• What are the most effective measures to prevent the increase in the obesity rate?
• Why is the obesity rate increasing in the United States?
• Can the lifestyle of a person be a cause of obesity?
• Does the economic situation of a country affect the obesity rate?
• How is obesity considered an international health issue?
• Can technology and gadgets affect obesity rates?
• What can be the possible reasons for obesity in a school?
• How can we address the issue of obesity?
• Is obesity a chronic disease?
• Is obesity a major cause of heart attacks?
• Are the junk food chains causing an increase in obesity?
• Do nutritional programs help in reducing the obesity rate?
• How can the right type of diet help with obesity?
• Why should we encourage sports activities in schools and colleges?
• Can obesity affect a person’s behavior?

Health Related Topics for Research Paper

If you are writing a research paper, you can explain the cause and effect of obesity.

Here are a few topics that link to the cause and effects of obesity.Review the literature of previous articles related to obesity. Describe the ideas presented in the previous papers.

• Can family history cause obesity in future generations?
• Can we predict obesity through genetic testing?
• What is the cause of the increasing obesity rate?
• Do you think the increase in fast-food restaurants is a cause of the rising obesity rate?
• Is the ratio of obese women greater than obese men?
• Why are women more prone to be obese as compared to men?
• Stress can be a cause of obesity. Mention the reasons how mental health can be related to physical health.
• Is urban life a cause of the increasing obesity rate?
• People from cities are prone to be obese as compared to people from the countryside.
• How obesity affects the life expectancy of people? What are possible solutions to decrease the obesity rate?
• Do family eating habits affect or trigger obesity?
• How do eating habits affect the health of an individual?
• How can obesity affect the future of a child?
• Obese children are more prone to get bullied in high school and college.
• Why should schools encourage more sports and exercise for children?

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Topics for Essay on Obesity as a Problem

Do you think a rise in obesity rate can affect the economy of a country?

Here are some topics for your assistance regarding your economics related obesity essay.

• Does socioeconomic status affect the possibility of obesity in an individual?
• Analyze the film and write a review on “Fed Up” – an obesity epidemic.
• Share your reviews on the movie “The Weight of The Nation.”
• Should we increase the prices of fast food and decrease the prices of fruits and vegetables to decrease obesity?
• Do you think healthy food prices can be a cause of obesity?
• Describe what measures other countries have taken in order to control obesity?
• The government should play an important role in controlling obesity. What precautions should they take?
• Do you think obesity can be one of the reasons children get bullied?
• Do obese people experience any sort of discrimination or inappropriate behavior due to their weight?
• Are there any legal protections for people who suffer from discrimination due to their weight?
• Which communities have a higher percentage of obesity in the United States?
• Discuss the side effects of the fast-food industry and their advertisements on children.
• Describe how the increasing obesity rate has affected the economic condition of the United States.
• What is the current percentage of obesity all over the world? Is the obesity rate increasing with every passing day?
• Why is the obesity rate higher in the United States as compared to other countries?
• Do Asians have a greater percentage of obese people as compared to Europe?
• Does the cultural difference affect the eating habits of an individual?
• Obesity and body shaming.
• Why is a skinny body considered to be ideal? Is it an effective way to reduce the obesity rate?

Obesity Solution Essay Topics

With all the developments in medicine and technology, we still don’t have exact measures to treat obesity.

Here are some insights you can discuss in your essay:

• How do obese people suffer from metabolic complications?
• Describe the fat distribution in obese people.
• Is type 2 diabetes related to obesity?
• Are obese people more prone to suffer from diabetes in the future?
• How are cardiac diseases related to obesity?
• Can obesity affect a woman’s childbearing time phase?
• Describe the digestive diseases related to obesity.
• Obesity may be genetic.
• Obesity can cause a higher risk of suffering a heart attack.
• What are the causes of obesity? What health problems can be caused if an individual suffers from obesity?
• What are the side effects of surgery to overcome obesity?
• Which drugs are effective when it comes to the treatment of obesity?
• Is there a difference between being obese and overweight?
• Can obesity affect the sociological perspective of an individual?
• Explain how an obesity treatment works.
• How can the government help people to lose weight and improve public health?

Writing an essay is a challenging yet rewarding task. All you need is to be organized and clear when it comes to academic writing.

• Choose a topic you would like to write on.
• Organize your thoughts.
• Pen down your ideas.
• Compose a perfect essay that will help you ace your subject.
• Proofread and revise your paper.

Were the topics useful for you? We hope so!

However, if you are still struggling to write your paper, you can pick any of the topics from this list, and our essay writer will help you craft a perfect essay.

Are you struggling to write an effective essay?

If writing an essay is the actual problem and not just the topic, you can always hire an essay writing service for your help. Essay experts at 5StarEssays can help compose an impressive essay within your deadline.

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As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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• Review Article
• Published: 07 May 2024

Epidemiology and Population Health

Obesity: a 100 year perspective

• George A. Bray   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9945-8772 1  

International Journal of Obesity ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Biological techniques
• Health care
• Weight management

This review has examined the scientific basis for our current understanding of obesity that has developed over the past 100 plus years. Obesity was defined as an excess of body fat. Methods of establishing population and individual changes in levels of excess fat are discussed. Fat cells are important storage site for excess nutrients and their size and number affect the response to insulin and other hormones. Obesity as a reflection of a positive fat balance is influenced by a number of genetic and environmental factors and phenotypes of obesity can be developed from several perspectives, some of which have been elaborated here. Food intake is essential for maintenance of human health and for the storage of fat, both in normal amounts and in obesity in excess amounts. Treatment approaches have taken several forms. There have been numerous diets, behavioral approaches, along with the development of medications.. Bariatric/metabolic surgery provides the standard for successful weight loss and has been shown to have important effects on future health. Because so many people are classified with obesity, the problem has taken on important public health dimensions. In addition to the scientific background, obesity through publications and organizations has developed its own identity. While studying the problem of obesity this reviewer developed several aphorisms about the problem that are elaborated in the final section of this paper.

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What Is the Cause of Rising Obesity in the America Essay

Introduction. thesis statement, the reasons for rising obesity in america, chemicals become the components of the healthy food, secondary causes of overweight, conclusions. thesis restatement, works cited.

Over the past fifty years, the number of fat children that will become overweight adults has grown exponentially. Among all countries, the United States has the biggest rate of obesity. “While many other countries have experienced significant increases in obesity, no other developed country is quite as heavy as the United States” (Cutler, Glaeser, and Shapiro 93). The proclamation of adiposity as a national “obesity epidemic” is not an overstatement. Among the main reasons for overweight are abundant portions, an increase of junk food, lack of sleep, even air-conditioning. All of them are well known, but not deeply explored. Moreover, the latest researches show that not all of the above listed provoke obesity. The increase of obesity in America turned into an epidemic, because of abundant food consumption and physical inactivity, resulting in the growth of sick people over the past half-century.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the fundamental measure of overweight. BMI is the ratio of weight in kilograms to the height in meters squared. “Optimal BMI levels are generally believed to lie between 20 and 25” (Cutler et. al 95). If the BMI level is less than 20, the person is considered thin. The ratio between 25 and 30 shows an overweight. The BMI 30 reveals obesity.

Most agree that there are two main reasons for getting overweight: lack of physical activity and excessive consumption of food. The deficiency of energy balance causes fatness. Energy balance consists of absorbed and burned energy. The calories consumed transform into energy. The energy used for everyday life maintenance is burned energy. Elementary energy accounting explains the mechanism of getting overweight. The balance of calories consumed must be equal to or less than the energy used. There are three common ways of burning calories: metabolism, digesting, and physical activity. The basal metabolism consumes around 60 percent of the energy to keep the body alive. Digesting also requires some amount of energy for food processing. The third way of burning calories is physical activity. Here the first contradiction comes.

According to the latest researches, the average American exercises more than people used to do in the 60s, the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has grown due to the decrease in prices. But, “the prevalence of obesity has increased rapidly over the last decades” (Sturm and An 338). According to the above, the lifestyle and the diet became healthier, but still the “obesity epidemic” is growing. The explanation of this conflict gives the production industry. The usage of various chemicals impacts the rate of overweight. One of these chemicals is now known as an obesogen. The term obesogen was firstly implemented in 2005 by Dr. Bloomberg and applied to the different chemicals (Henig par. 7). The obesogens are working in three different ways depending on the particular body. Firstly, it changes the number of fat cells, or adipocytes, as well as a fat storage capacity. Secondly, it affects metabolism by decreasing the number of burned calories. And, thirdly, obesogen influences a feeling of fullness and hunger. Unfortunately, avoiding obesogens is almost impossible. The products of everyday life, such as shampoos, detergents, scented candles, are full of this chemical. Even leafy vegetables, which are among the healthiest food, are often treated with substances that can cause adiposity.

In his researches, Dr. Bloomberg fed a mouse with a dose of chemical and found that its offsprings are with greater fat storage than the offsprings of a mouse with a ration without chemicals. Moreover, this pathology was observed even in the second and third generations of an obese mouse. Thus, the scientist made a conclusion “once it’s in the great-grandchildren, it’s permanent” (qt. in Henig par. 10). Obesogens are highly dangerous for the fast-growing body affecting both the fetus in the womb and the infants. If an insignificant dose of chemical leads to the genetic changes of descendants, obesity can be considered as genetic heredity. Notwithstanding, there is no officially confirmed evidence related to the people. “While a person may have a genetic predisposition toward a certain body type, the fact that each succeeding generation is heavier than the last proves that changes in our environment are playing the key role” (Griffin par. 7). An author explains that the way of modern life minimized the amount of physical activity but increased the amount of junk food in the human diet.

Besides primary causes of obesity, there are several minors. The impact of chemicals has been already discussed above. But there are other reasons, including an inactive lifestyle, a variety of fast-food restaurants, and an environment, which causes obesity. Modern conveniences along with comfort brought a problem of overweight. Instead of going to work on foot Americans use cars. The deficiency of physical education in schools resulted in the growth of a number of fat children. People, who consume many calories per day without doing any sports are more likely to have certain health problems than those who include activities in their everyday life. The reasons for an inactive lifestyle, besides the obvious personal habits, also include external obstacles. Thus, the lack of parks, sidewalks, and gyms complicates the possibility of doing activities.

Another reason for growing obesity is an oversized portion. Americans got used to unlimited food consumption. In restaurants, fast food places, in the supermarkets, even at home people eat much more than needed for keeping optimal energy balance. Eventually, the overabundance of consumed calories together with physical inactivity causes significant weight gain. Even lack of sleep increases the risk of adiposity. Sleeping fewer hours than needed leads to hormonal metabolism. As a result, the level of hormone, which handles the feeling of hunger, ghrelin, decreases. Furthermore, the lack of sleep increases the sugar level in the blood causing sugar diabetes.

The next cause of obesity refers rather to the economic and geographic situation than to social. Food became more affordable, according to the analysis of senior economists from Illinois University. “Americans now have the cheapest food in history when measured as a fraction of disposable income. In the 1930s, Americans spent one-quarter of their disposable income on food, dropping to one-fifth in the 1950s” (Sturm and An 342). Indeed, it resulted in abundant consumption of both healthy and junk food. David M. Cutler with colleagues came to a similar conclusion related to time. “Reductions in the time cost of food preparation should lead to an increase in the amount of food consumed” (Cutler, Glaeser, and Shapiro 107). On the other hand, there are particular urban areas, “food deserts”, where people have no selection of healthy food. But they are still prone to obesity. It means that the availability of attractive fresh products does not relate to obesity. The consumption of junk food, instead of fresh fruits and vegetables, as it is recommended by nutritionists, not yet guarantees the obeseness.

The excessive intake of calories and lack of physical activity are the only causes of obesity. The same conclusion was made by Roland Sturn and Ruopeng An: “preventing obesity is not about eating more food, regardless of how many nutrients it provides, but consuming less energy or expending more” (343). Another misconception is the idea that low-fat food cannot cause obesity. As the Doctor of Medicine noticed, “people took the low-fat message and decided that it meant that as long as they ate things that were low-fat, they could eat as much as they wanted” (qt. in Griffin par. 14). Unfortunately, there is an essential shortcoming in this theory as it does not take into account the number of calories consumed. Some low-fat snacks, introduced as a dietary product, have more calories than their original equivalent.

In the 60s years of the twentieth century, an average American weighted 1.2 times less than now. The weight increase, which has been observed before, was considered as a health increase while now it is recognized as health reduction. Nowadays, the level of obesity is much higher than medical institutions determined and keeps rising. Due to changes in nutrition and the modern inactive lifestyle, the increase of obesity in America turned into an epidemic. The prevention of obesity is much easier than the follow-up treatment of disease caused by being overweight. Sometimes, only two changes in the lifestyle, a decrease of calories consumed together with some sports activities, are the clues to a happy and healthy life.

Cutler M., David, Glaeser L., Edward and Jesse M. Shapiro. “Why Have Americans Become More Obese?” Journal of Economic Perspectives 17.3 (2003): 93-118. Print.

Griffin R., Morgan. n.d. Obesity Epidemic “Astronomical”. n.d. Web. 2015.

Henig, Robin 2013, What’s Making America So Fat? Web. 2015.

Sturm, Roland and Ruopeng An. “Obesity and Economic Environments”. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 64.5 (2014): 337-350. Print.

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Staff Spotlight: Briana Davis

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Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Briana Davis moved south to attend graduate school and never left. It was 1997, and she was drawn to the Arnold School’s Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Education program to make an impact on health at the population level.

After graduating, Davis spent eight years at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. First, she worked as a health educator in Greenville County and then moved back to the capital city to serve as a program coordinator for the Office of Minority Health.

“Working as the partnership and communications coordinator for the Office of Minority Health at DHEC prepared me to develop mutually beneficial community relationships, work with media contacts and identify community needs,” Davis says. “These experiences laid the foundation for my successive roles in addressing health disparities in public health.”

She uses all of these skills in her current role with the Behavioral Research in Eating (BRIE) Lab , which is led by health promotion, education and behavior professor Brie Turner-McGrievy . Prior to joining the lab in 2021, Davis worked in a variety of positions at USC, including the Cancer Prevention and Control Program where she also lent her talents as a consultant to a weight-loss intervention in partnership with Meharry Medical College. As a program manager for the Medical University of South Carolina, she also led a statewide diabetes initiative to help those living with and related to African-Americans with type 2 diabetes.

The Arnold School has been a very welcoming environment, and our BRIE Lab team is always willing to help when needed. This has led to an increased level of comfort and confidence to accomplish my work goals.

Often serving as a project manager for health-related research projects, the recurring theme of her career has been addressing health disparities in chronic conditions, such as obesity, cancer and diabetes. In addition to working with the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, her Arnold School homes have included the South Carolina SmartState Technology Center to Promote Healthy Lifestyles ( Department of Exercise Science ) and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders . 

At the BRIE Lab, Davis serves as the recruitment and retention coordinator for all projects and as assistant project manager for the DG3D Study . Leveraging emerging technology, the lab helps people eat healthier, lose weight and prevent chronic disease. Much of this work focuses on underserved populations to address health disparities – a perfect fit for Davis’s background.

In her roles, she identifies local events, contacts and groups to help the lab reach their targeted participants. She also plans media campaigns, manages communications for each study and implements evidence-based recruitment strategies. For the DG3D Study, Davis maintains contact and conducts outreach activities with participants, providing them with support and guidance. She also schedules individual coaching sessions and identifies culturally-appropriate healthy lifestyle resources for African-American volunteer research participants.

She loves interacting with applicants and participants, sharing success strategies and knowing that she can encourage someone to lead a healthier lifestyle. The birds-eye view of Colonial Life Arena’s graduation and sporting events afforded by her office in the Discovery building is another perk – as is the diverse community found in Columbia.

“The Arnold School has been a very welcoming environment, and our BRIE Lab team is always willing to help when needed,” Davis says. “This has led to an increased level of comfort and confidence to accomplish my work goals.”

"Briana's contributions to our group are invaluable, showcasing a remarkable blend of talent and experience," says Turner-McGrievy. "Her skill set is truly distinctive, ranging from her adeptness in navigating local recruitment avenues to her extensive background in public health. Moreover, her work with the community is always approached with compassion and empathy."

The Staff Spotlight Series is sponsored by the Arnold School's Office of Access and Collective Engagement.

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