State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America

This 2023 version is the 20th annual report on the antecedents and rates of obesity in the U.S. as well as policy solutions. Since TFAH first published the State of Obesity report in 2004, rates of adult and child and adolescent obesity are up sharply, particularly in communities experiencing barriers to healthy eating and few opportunities for physical activity

The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Better America (2022) - Special Feature: Food and Nutrition Insecurity Among Youth and Families

Obesity rates have been rising for decades across states, ages, sexes, and racial/ethnic groups, with continued increases during the COVID-19 pandemic. These long-term, cross-population trends underscore the nature of the crisis as a population-level problem tied to social, economic, and environmental factors in the United States, most of which are outside of an individual's control. Some of these factors affect available choices and habits directly related to diet, nutrition, and physical activity—for example, the availability, cost, marketing, taste, and accessibility of nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables versus calorie-rich foods like junk food and soda, and the availability, safety, and convenience of active transportation, parks, playgrounds, and facilities for exercise and physical activity. It is also important to consider the role other factors—like stress, discrimination, poverty, economic opportunity, and food insecurity— play in determining the health and well-being of every AmericanThis is the 19th annual report by Trust for America's Health on the obesity crisis in the United States. This year, our special feature highlights food and nutrition insecurity among youth and families. This report, as in previous years, also includes a section that reviews the latest data available on adult and childhood obesity rates, a section that examines key current and emerging policies, and, finally, a section that outlines recommended policy actions

Deviation of the Nucleon Shape From Spherical Symmetry: Experimental Status

In this brief pedagogical overview the physical basis of the deviation of the nucleon shape from spherical symmetry will be presented along with the experimental methods used to determine it by the gamma* p -> Delta reaction.The fact that significant non-spherical electric(E2) and Coulomb quadrupole(C2) amplitudes have been observed will be demonstrated. These multipoles for the N,Delta system as a function of Q^2 from the photon point through 4 GeV^2 have been measured with modest precision. Their precise magnitude remains model dependent due to the contributions of the background amplitudes, although rapid progress is being made to reduce these uncertainties. A discussion of what is required to perform a model independent analysis is presented. All of the data to date are consistent with a prolate shape for the proton (larger at the poles) and an oblate shape(flatter at the poles) for the Delta. It is suggested here that the fundamental reason for this lies in the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry in QCD and the resulting, long range(low Q^2), effects of the pion cloud. This verification of this suggestion, as well as a more accurate measurement of the deviation from spherical symmetry, requires further experimental and theoretical effort.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, enhanced conference proceeding

Relativistic effects in electromagnetic nuclear responses in the quasi-elastic delta region

A new non-relativistic expansion in terms of the nucleon's momentum inside nuclear matter of the current for isobar electro-excitation from the nucleon is performed. Being exact with respect to the transferred energy and momentum, this yields new current operators which retain important aspects of relativity not taken into account in the traditional non-relativistic reductions. The transition current thus obtained differs from the leading order of the traditional expansion by simple multiplicative factors. These depend on the momentum and energy transfer and can be easily included together with relativistic kinematics in non-relativistic, many-body models of isobar electro-excitation in nuclei. The merits of the new current are tested by comparing with the unexpanded electromagnetic nuclear responses in the isobar peak computed in a relativistic Fermi gas framework. The sensitivity of the relativistic responses to the isobar's magnetic, electric and Coulomb form factors and the finite width of the isobar is analyzed.Comment: 26 pages plus 6 figure

Is any job better than no job? Utilising Jahoda's latent deprivation theory to reconceptualise underemployment

Underemployment is a widely discussed but complex concept. This article progresses discussions and provides a new sociological conceptualization. It builds on a classic theory of unemployment, Jahoda et al's 'latent deprivation theory' (LDT), that identified five 'latent functions' provided by jobs, beside a wage: time structure, social relations, sense of purpose/achievement, personal identity and regular activity. LDT was groundbreaking in illuminating previously hidden injuries of joblessness. This paper proposes that LDT can be similarly groundbreaking for reconceptualising underemployment: it demonstrates conceptually the multiple ways in which the mere existence of a job is insufficient in protecting individuals from socially and psychologically negative impacts associated with unemployment. A sociology of underemployment can help better understand complex, shifting and precarious work and expose inherent forms of suffering and injustice

"Ordinary, the same as anywhere else": notes on the management of spoiled identity in 'marginal' middle class neighbourhoods

Urban sociologists are becoming increasingly interested in neighbourhood as a source of middle-class identity. Particular emphasis is currently being given to two types of middle-class neighbourhood; gentrified urban neighbourhoods of ‘distinction’ and inconspicuous ‘suburban landscapes of privilege’. However, there has been a dearth of work on ‘marginal’ middle-class neighbourhoods that are similarly ‘inconspicuous’ rather than distinctive, but less exclusive, thus containing sources of ‘spoiled identity’. This article draws on data gathered from two ‘marginal’ middleclass neighbourhoods that contained a particular source of ‘spoiled identity’: social renters. Urban sociological analyses of neighbour responses to these situations highlight a process of dis-identification with the maligned object, which exacerbates neighbour differences. Our analysis of data from the ‘marginal’ middle-class neighbourhoods suggests something entirely different and Goffmanesque. This entailed the management of spoiled identity, which emphasized similarities rather than differences between neighbours.</p

Towards an immersive learning knowledge tree: a conceptual framework for mapping knowledge and tools in the field

iLRN 2021. Online and in Virtual Reality (17 May - 10 June, 2021)The interdisciplinary field of immersive learning research is scattered. Combining efforts for better exploration of this field from the different disciplines requires researchers to communicate and coordinate effectively. We call upon the community of immersive learning researchers for planting the Knowledge Tree of Immersive Learning Research, a proposal for a systematization effort for this field, combining both scholarly and practical knowledge, cultivating a robust and ever-growing knowledge base and methodological toolbox for immersive learning. This endeavor aims at promoting evidence-informed practice and guiding future research in the field. This paper contributes with the rationale for three objectives: 1) Developing common scientific terminology amidst the community of researchers; 2) Cultivating a common understanding of methodology, and 3) Advancing common use of theoretical approaches, frameworks, and models.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio