Social Justice and the Urban Obesity Crisis

Melvin Delgado is professor and chair of the macro-practice specialty at the School of Social Work, Boston University. He is the author of twenty books, including Latino Small Businesses and the American Dream: Community Social Work Practice and Economic and Social Development and Social Work Practice with Immigrant and Refugee Youth in the United States.

• Acknowledgments Part One. Setting the Context 1. Introduction 2. A Social Justice Paradigm 3. The Extent of the National Obesity Crisis 4. Health 5. Lack of Access to Healthy Foods 6. Limits to Places and Spaces for Physical Exercise 7. Food Industry Practices 8. Challenges in Measuring Overweight and Obesity Part Two. Community-Led Health Promotion Approaches 9. Health Promotion 10. Youth-Focused Interventions 11. Community Garden Interventions 12. Community-Based Food Initiatives 13. Implications for Social Work Practice and Research Epilogue References Index

Melvin Delgado achieves his goal in addressing the complex nature of the problem of obesity and its underlying social, economic, and political causes by undertaking a proactive asset-oriented approach that, at its foundation, empowers urban communities with the guidance of the social work profession to find solutions culturally tailored to specific communities. -- Mario de la Rosa, Florida International University In utilizing conceptual frameworks that are essential to understanding obesity and being overweight, Melvin Delgado effectively presents associated statistics and concepts that assist in analyzing the complexity of the problem and identify directions for addressing this epidemic. The shift to social, economic, and political actors to explain this phenomenon is direly needed in social work education. -- Betty Garcia, California State University, Fresno a valuable primer for students, scholars, and practitioners new to the field of obesity. The book offers examples of innovation and cites resources that will benefit even seasoned obesity experts. It also makes an important contribution to the field of social work, by making the topic accessible and urging social workers to apply their skills toward solutions to the problem. -- Janet M. Liechty Journal of Children and Poverty Social work students and professionals working in various practice settings and among diverse communities would benefit from reading this book. -- Christine M. Rine Health & Social Work