February 2018
A new publication has been accepted for publication. Wang V, Min J, Xue H, Xu F, Wang H, Wang Y. What factors may contribute to sex difference in childhood obesity prevalence in China? Public Health Nutrition. 2018. This study examined sex differences in child weight status, beliefs and behaviors, and obesity-related parenting practices and their associations with a sex difference in child overweight using logistic regression analysis. Large sex differences in childhood obesity may be related to the sex disparities in weight-related beliefs and behaviors among children and their parents in China.
Dr. Youfa Wang, John and Janice Fisher Endowed Chair in Wellness and Professor of Nutrition and Health Science will be presenting a lecture titled Fighting the global non-communicable chronic disease epidemic: Need and promise of global health. Date: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Location: Forum Room in the LA Pittenger Student Center. Light refreshments will be served.
January 2018
Dr. Lenny Kaminsky participated on the expert consensus panel at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington DC on January 25, 2018. The panel worked to develop standardized tools for health risk assessment related to physical activity/physical fitness/sedentary behavior for use in worksite health promotion in coordination with the forthcoming revision of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
December 2017
Dr. Kaminsky presented a lecture titled “Physical fitness and cardiovascular disease: The past, the Present and the Future” at the 7th annual Exercise is Medicine Seminar in Trondheim, Norway. The seminar was hosted by the K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine/Cardiac Exercise Research Group (ntnu.edu/cerg) at the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He also participated in a Roundtable discussion on the role of physical activity in supporting health lead by the New York Times and the Norwegian Health Directorate.
Dr. Kaminsky is meeting with representatives of the World Health Organization’s Surveillance and Population-based Prevention Unit, Department of Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases, at their headquarters in Geneva Switzerland to discuss challenges and opportunities related to physical activity and diet as preventative strategies for healthy communities.
December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month sponsored by Prevent Blindness America. Visit www.preventblindness.org to learn more about preventing blindness due to toy-related injuries.
November 2017
New national guidelines for high blood pressure were introduced (https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/888560 ). A blood pressure reading of 130 to 139 mm Hg systolic or 80 to 89 mm Hg is now considered hypertension. Most notably is the emphasis of the importance of healthy lifestyle as a first-step approach in managing this serious risk factor: “Strategies to improve blood-pressure control during treatment with an emphasis on lifestyle approaches.”
Dr. Lenny Kaminsky co-authored a poster titled “Addressing Outcome Prediction in Heart Failure Using Contemporary Equations for Maximal Oxygen Consumption “ presented at the Scientific Sessions Meeting of the American Heart Association Annual Meeting in Anaheim, CA.
The mission of the American Diabetes Association is "to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. American Diabetes Month® Campaign Celebrates the Millions of Heroes Managing Diabetes Every Day."
Dr. Kaminsky gave a presentation in a featured symposium on Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Comprehensive Approach at the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Annual Meeting, Charleston, S.C. in October. The presentation was titled “Cardiorespiratory Fitness is a Vital Sign and … It Needs to be Assessed in CR programs!”.
October 2017
The Environmental Protection Agency celebrates Children’s Health Month! Throughout the country (at each ten of the EPA’s Regions and at Head Quarters), the agency hosts and participates in a number of activities and events to raise awareness about children’s environmental health. In alignment with the agency’s purpose of ensuring that all Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the environment where they live, learn and work—this year’s theme, Protecting Children Where They Live, Learn and Play, highlights EPA’s commitment to work with communities to ensure safe and healthy environments for all children.
The Fisher Institute and several departments from the College of Health will have informational booths set up at the Community Connect event at the Delaware County Fairgrounds on Friday, October 20. Be sure to stop in!
September 2017
The Fisher Institute’s Associate Director, Prof. Youfa Wang met collaborators in South Korea working on their global childhood obesity prevention project collaborating with NASA.
March 2017
FIHW Assistant Professor, Dr. Hong Xue, was awarded a Ball State Digital Scholarship Fellowship award for his proposal: Interdisciplinary, systems approach & big digital data enhanced obesity research. This is an exciting new area of research for the FIHW. Congratulations to Dr. Xue!
February 2017
Recently SOGCIP in the Fisher Institute of Health and Well-Being, College of Health, Ball State University, received two new grants from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH), to support childhood obesity and WIC program related research. SOGCIP Director, Dr. Youfa Wang, is the PI of the subcontracts at BSU of these federal grants, and his long-term collaborator Dr. Harry Zhang at Old Dominion University is the PI supported by these grants. See our research lab and project page for additional information.
January, 2017
The Fisher Institute is pleased to introduce our newest staff member. We welcome Dr. Jungwon Min as a Research Associate. Dr. Min will work on the research team of Dr. Youfa Wang, Fisher Institute Associate Director. Dr. Min brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Fisher Institute. Please stop by the Fisher Institute to meet Dr. Min and welcome her to Ball State.
December 14, 2016
Dr. Youfa Wang, FIHW Associate Director is beginning his term as Chair of the Pediatric Obesity Section (http://www.obesity.org/membership/sections/pediatric-obesity) of the Obesity Society. The Obesity Society (TOS) is the leading international professional association dedicated to “advancing the science-based understanding of the causes, consequences, prevention and treatment of obesity."