Health

84.1 million Americans have prediabetes—and a majority don’t know it. Today is Diabetes Alert Day. On this day, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) aims to spread nation-wide awareness of the risk of type 2 diabetes. According to a recent report by the CDC, about a third of American adults had prediabetes in 2015, yet less than 12% were aware of their condition. Prediabete ...

The theme for the Society for Behavioral Medicine’s (SBM) 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions is “Leading the Narrative.” This theme encourages researchers (1) to conduct high-quality scientific studies, (2) to communicate their findings to diverse audiences in a way that is easy to understand and impactful, and (3) to get involved in careers and activities that allow t ...

Every year, the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) holds an annual conference to bring together professionals who strive to use behavioral science to improve people’s quality of life and health. To follow along with this year’s theme, “Leading the Narrative,” I will be presenting my master’s thesis research on role models and their influence on physical activity and dietary b ...

Fors Marsh Group (FMG) attended the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media (NCHCMM) last month in Atlanta, GA. The event, held from September 11 to 13, attracted individuals and organizations from academia and public health to discuss and shape the future of health communication, marketing, and media practice. In previous years, NCHCMM sessions increa ...

September is childhood obesity month. I have been studying factors related to childhood obesity for the entirety of my professional career and the one and only thing that everyone can agree on is: It’s complicated! Over the past 40 years, childhood obesity rates have tripled. Children are experiencing adverse health conditions such as heart disease and type two diabetes that w ...

From June 27-30, I will represent Fors Marsh Group (FMG) at the 2018 USF Social Marketing Conference. Every year, social marketers from all disciplines congregate at this conference for the latest guidance on the best techniques for developing and evaluating behavior change programs and campaigns. I’m looking forward to participating in many of these training sessions and prese ...

In April, I attended Technology, Mind & Society (TMS)—an interdisciplinary conference organized by the American Psychological Association. The three-day event saw scientists, industry, and policymakers come together to learn about emerging technologies, including computer-human interaction, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and the Internet of Things. Hea ...

In the month of May, Mental Health Month is observed in the United States to raise awareness and educate the public on mental health. Mental illness remains shrouded in stigma, yet approximately one in five American adults (roughly 43.8 million people) are affected by mental health conditions. Untreated mental health conditions can result in consequences such as suicide, homele ...

From April 11 to April 14, I will be representing Fors Marsh Group (FMG) at the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s (SBM) Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, LA. SBM does an excellent job showcasing both groundbreaking basic research in behavioral health as well as applications of this research in communities and policy. I am excited to be presenting my resear ...

In honor of National Public Health Week, it is important to consider the value of a healthy diet. Healthy eating is important for maintaining a healthy body weight, preventing many diseases, and keeping people feeling good and energized throughout the day. Most people agree that having a healthy diet sounds great in theory. However, consumers often report confusion regarding wh ...