Encyclopedia of Obesity

Obesity is a serious health issue and is a key discussion and research area in many disciplines from the social sciences and physical education to the health sciences. The Encyclopedia of Obesity is a comprehensive set containing nearly 500 entries that addresses the broad scope of the obesity epidemic, from molecular and genetic causes to the treatment of this disease at a large scale, public policy level. The editors have chosen topics that capture the current climate of obesity research, while still addressing and defining the core concepts related to this disease. Additionally, the majority of entries have been provided by experts from the medical and scientific research community. In many cases, entries are written by pioneering or premiere researchers in the topic at hand. This two-volume Encyclopedia provides a catalogue of entries from a variety of expert contributors from a vast array of disciplines, including molecular biology, psychology, medicine, public health and policy, food science, environmental health, pharmaceuticals, and many others to summarize pertinent topics in obesity, and related health conditions. Scholars, educators, researchers, physicians, and the general public will be able to access this resource for current, factual details on topics related to this growing epidemic. This new encyclopedia will be the most reliable, accurate, and thorough resource for information about obesity. 'Moving Forward in an Ever Expanding World' in this section Kathleen Keller addresses the topic of a changing society that is slowly adapting to accommodate obesity. Covering recent lawsuits on fast food industries and airlines, discussing how these are telling of the decades to come. In addition, this text will look at the new frontiers on obesity treatment and research and the importance of prevention in children, and in studying obesity in a variety of ethnic groups and in developing countries. Benefits and Features " This publication will serve as a general and non-technical resource for biology, sociology, health studies, and other social science students and educators who wish to understand the development of obesity as it prevails in the United States and worldwide. " It will for the first time, allow scholars who are conducting research to access hundreds of topics related to obesity, all within a single text. " The convenient organization of this text will assist readers most when they have a specific term they wish to investigate, however, for readers who do not know the specific search term, each article is cross-referenced with other article headings. Major themes that are addresses are as follows: the prevalence of obesity (worldwide and U.S.), gender and obesity, leading institutions that are dedicated to fighting obesity, food industries, biological and genetic contributors, environmental contributors, social influences and outcomes on obesity, psychological influences//outcomes of obesity, health implications of obesity, treatments for obesity (medical and dietary), disordered eating patterns, public health issues related to obesity, obesity and the brain, ethnicity and obesity, and new frontiers in obesity research.