AJPM-NOW: February 2019

February 2019

From the Editor-in-Chief

Dear AJPM reader,

According to the CDC , almost 40% of adults and 19% of children in the U.S. are obese. The obesity epidemic represents one of the foremost public health crises of the day and underlines the need for ready access to screening and treatment for those who are overweight or obese. However, challenges abound as described by several articles in our February issue ; Imoisilli et al. describe the lack of awareness of USPSTF compliant weight management programs in clinicians who see pediatric patients while Chaitoff and colleagues highlight the danger of unhealthy weight-loss strategies and how they relate to mental health. Finally, Goldhammer et al. focus on the dangers of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction in sexual and gender minority youth and how providers can tailor treatment to meet the needs of this population with additional article details as follows:

Screening and Referral for Childhood Obesity: Adherence to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation .

Imoisili OE, Goodman AB, Dooyema CA, Harrison MR, Belay B, Park S.

Our February Editor’s Choice Article shows that over 80% of surveyed clinicians screened pediatric patients at greater than three-quarters of visits. While only a quarter of clinicians were aware of a community weight management program that met USPSTF recommendations, a large majority of these clinicians referred their patients to these programs.

Associations Between Unhealthy Weight-Loss Strategies and Depressive Symptoms .

Chaitoff A, Swetlik C, Ituarte C, Pfoh E, Lee LL, Heinberg LJ, Rothberg MB.

This study found using at least one unhealthy weight-loss strategy, such as diet pill use or meal skipping, was significantly associated with odds of reporting depression, especially in females or in people with a BMI between 30.0 and 39.9.

Addressing Eating Disorders and Body Dissatisfaction in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth .

Goldhammer HB, Maston ED, Keuroghlian AS.

This Current Issues article explores eating disorders and body dissatisfaction in sexual and gender minority youth, identifying unique opportunities for screening and strategies for tailoring interventions for this group.

As always, we hope that you find these articles and the remainder of our February issue to be timely, topical, and informative.

Yours in prevention and health,

Matthew L. Boulton, MD, MPH

Editor-in-Chief

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

@AJPM_Editor

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From the AJPM Editorial Office

AJPM has renewed a 5-year contract to remain at the University of Michigan School of Public Health under the leadership of Dr. Matthew L. Boulton, Editor-in-Chief. Over the past five years, the journal has experienced a 50% increase in submissions and achieved a 2017 impact factor of 4.127 and a five-year impact of 5.168. Significant administrative accomplishments have been numerous and include a redesign of the journal cover, logo, and website; digitization of the full archive; and the launch of special initiatives like Article of the Year, Reviewer Recognition, and AJPM-NOW . We welcome our readers’ feedback; please let us know how we are doing and how we can make AJPM better for you .

Supplement

In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched “The Real Cost,” an advertising campaign that aims to convince teens to choose a tobacco-free lifestyle. This special issue identifies how the FDA developed compelling messaging for “The Real Cost,” tested its effectiveness, and launched a campaign that can be adapted to address future public health challenges .

Exploring FDA’s “The Real Cost” Youth Tobacco Prevention Campaign

Spotlight

A Meta-Analysis of Food Labeling Effects on Consumer Diet Behaviors and Industry Practices .

Shangguan S, Afshin A, Shulkin M, Ma W, Marsden D, Smith J, Saheb-Kashaf M, Shi P, Micha R, Imamura F, Mozaffarian D.

A meta-analysis of 60 intervention studies revealed food labeling reduces consumer dietary intake of energy and total fat and influences industry practices to reduce product contents of sodium and artificial trans-fats.