Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography Student Name Institutional Affiliation Date Annotated Bibliography Peri-Rural Georgia, USA Alexander, D. S., Alfonso, M. L., & Hansen, A. R. (2015). Childhood obesity perceptions among African American caregivers in a rural Georgia community: A mixed methods approach. Journal of community health, 40, 367-378. Alexander Alfonso and Hansen explore childhood obesity perceptions among African Americans in rural Georgia communities. Using a mixed methods approach, the study employs two theoretical frameworks: Social Cognitive Theory and Social Ecological Model. The participants consisted of caregivers aged 22-65 years where 135 completed the paper-based survey and 12 face-to-face interviews. The study examined the perceptions of caregivers on obesity risk factors, health issues, weight status and environmental features. The results demonstrated that caregivers had the wrong view of a child's weight status since they assessed weight and height using a child's appearance or recent doctor visits. The study offers insight into the health status of children residing in rural Georgia with caregivers. It indicates the need for additional efforts that address caregiver perceptions of obesity. Haardörfer, R., Alcantara, I., Addison, A., Glanz, K., & Kegler, M. C. (2015). The impact of home, work, and church environments on fat intake over time among rural residents: a longitudinal observational study. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1-12. Haardörfer and colleagues investigate the impact of dietary fat intake in high-risk midlife adults in the rural south and how it is influenced by home, work and church settings. The researchers acknowledge the influence of ecological factors in contributing to obesity. The intake of fat can be explained through a multifaceted perspective of biological, psychological, cultural and social factors combined with behaviour settings, public policies, and organizational and community settings. The research involved a community-based participatory study in four rural counties while omitting urbanized areas in southeast Georgia. Data was collected from a baseline of 527 participants and a subset of 245 participants who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease six and 12 months later between 2006 and 2008. The participants were adults aged 40-70. A multilevel analysis investigated the impact of determinants of fat intake over a given time. The results demonstrated the impact of home and work environments, with the former marked by access to high-fat items while the latter having access to healthy foods. Lenardson, J. D., Hansen, A. Y., & Hartley, D. (2015). Rural and remote food environments and obesity. Current Obesity Reports, 4, 46-53. Lenardson, Hansen and Hartley indicate that in developed countries like the USA, rural residents are more likely to be obese and overweight compared to those living in urban areas. In particular, the study indicates that the limited availability of healthy foods in rural communities contributes to poor diet and overweight. Factors like climate, regional and cultural preferences, transportation means and remoteness are critical in determining access to dietary needs. Due to the various factors pushing rural populations in areas like Georgia towards poor diets, the research offers a comprehensive review of the rural community, home and individual food environment and its association with healthy eating. The article is critical in understanding the challenges facing rural populations in Georgia and its effects on dietary intake. Randall, N. L., Sanders, C. E., Lamm, A. J., & Berg, A. C. (2023). Qualitative Exploration of Cultural Influence on a Rural Health-Promotion Initiative. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 55(4), 255-265. Randall, Sanders, Lamm and Berg demonstrate that obesity is among the most challenging social health issues in American society. In particular, more than 40% of US adults are obese, with a greater prevalence among middle-aged and older adults. African Americans and Latino or Hispanic people are the most affected, especially those in rural areas. The study seeks to develop a conceptualization of cultural influence on the perceptions of rural food and physical activity policy to inform public health practice. The study employs a basic qualitative research design and semi-structured phone interviews with community health coalition members. The target population of the participants of a CDC "High Obesity Program (HOP)" project in Georgia is to improve access to healthy food and safe physical opportunities in the rural setting. The results demonstrate the need for a multifaceted approach to addressing the problem of obesity. The study underscores the importance of schools and religious institutions in enabling populations in rural Georgia to embrace healthy living. SturtzSreetharan, C., Trainer, S., & Brewis, A. (2022). The harm inflicted by polite concern: Language, fat, and stigma. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 46(4), 683-709. SturtzSreetharan, Trainer and Brewis explore the stigma that languag...