Virginia M. Brennan, Shiriki K. Kumanyika, & Ruth Enid Zambrana, eds. Obesity Interventions in Underserved Communities. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014. $44.95. pp. 398. Paper. ISBN 978‐1‐42141‐544‐4.

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/wmh3.250
• Date: 01 December 2017
• Author: Wendy Chen
• Published date: 01 December 2017

Book Review

Virginia M. Brennan, Shiriki K. Kumanyika, & Ruth Enid Zambrana, eds. Obesity

Interventions in Underserved Communities. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University

Press, 2014. $44.95. pp. 398. Paper. ISBN 978-1-42141-544-4.

Obesity Interventions in Underserved Communities, a timely examination of the

social movement to diminish racial and ethnic inequalities in health outcomes

with a focus on obesity in disadvantaged American communities, is composed of

31 studies by different authors. All highlight that “obesity is not simply a

consequence of individual lifestyle choices, but rather a symptom of formidable

underlying root causes that are historical, economic, social, and cultural in

nature.”

The obesity epidemic has caught the world’s attention due to f‌indings linking

it to many human diseases. Research shows that impoverished people and

minority groups are more likely than their wealthier counterparts to develop

obesity-related issues. For underserved populations, obesity can lead to multiple

social problems including lower wages, chronic disease, and increased medical

costs that could push them further down on the social economic status scale.

However, evidence of successful interventions is scant.

To examine a diversity of obesity intervention settings extensively, the book

is comprised of literature reviews, commentaries, and reports from the f‌ield,

covering both conceptual and methodological discussions and real-life f‌ield

reports on racial and economic disparities in health. The abundant examples

presented in the book clearly show that with positive community intervention

strategies, negative social and health outcomes may well be reduced.

The literature review component has six articles with an emphasis on obesity

interventions focused on younger Hispanic and African American populations.

David E. Frisvold and Animesh Giri’s “The Potential of Early Childhood

Education as a Successful Obesity Intervention” demonstrates that programs such

as Head Start and other supplementary interventions at schools can reduce

childhood obesity risks. Beech and Jernigan’s study of African American girls’

obesity issues suggests that interventions on this population group should

incorporate both race and gender constructs while also considering social class.

World Medical & Health Policy, Vol. 9, No. 4, 2017

505

doi: 10.1002/wmh3.250

#2017 Policy Studies Organization