title: Obesity and Food Choices Among Faculty and Staff at a Large Urban University.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  in order to address increasing health care costs associated with obesity, this study sought to determine prevalence of overweight and obesity and examine eating behaviors, food choices, health beliefs, and attitudes of university employees.
  
  
  METHODS
  an online survey was distributed to > 3,800 faculty and staff at a large public metropolitan university in Winter 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  almost half (48%) of 806 respondents were classified as overweight or obese. Compared to those with normal weights, overweight and obese respondents consumed fewer fruits and vegetables (p < .05), were less confident in making healthful food choices (p < .001), and were more influenced by food choices available in on-campus dining facilities (p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  obesity among university employees warrants attention. Because these employees have less self-efficacy and consume less healthful diets than their normal weight colleagues, universities need to improve on-campus access to healthful foods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Packaging, San Jose State University, San Jose, California 95192-0058, USA. marjorie.freedman@sjsu.edu
authors.forename: Marjorie R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Freedman
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D017150:Public Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D057566:Self Report; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult