Interests & Expertise

Broadly, I am interested in the interpretation and management of body size (e.g., body weight, muscularity, fat mass). More specifically, my research interests involve:

• elucidating the influence of romantic partners on body image, eating and activity behavior, and approaches to weight management among members of the couple.
• exploring the impact of major life events (relationship transitions, extreme weight loss, cancer) on body image, dietary intake, physical activity, and weight management.
• examining historical trends in the portrayal and internalization of the "ideal body."
• elucidating the role of body dissatisfaction as a motivator and inhibitor of healthy behavior.
• examining how body weight monitoring affects mental health and weight management behavior; the efficacious use of weight monitoring in weight management interventions.
• designing, implementing, and evaluating theoretically-driven weight management interventions targeting critical periods in the life course.
• exploring the feasibility and efficacy of using Internet-based technology for health promotion research and weight management interventions.

Recent Publications

Neighbors, L. (2009). Weight management. In H. Gay, R. Valese & D. Campbell (Eds.), Health on Demand (pp. 89-137). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Neighbors, L., & Sobal, J. (2008). Weight and weddings: Women's weight ideals and weight management behaviors for their wedding day. Appetite, 50(2-3), 550-554.

Neighbors, L., & Sobal, J. (2008). Weight and weddings: Expectations about wedding body weight and shape ideals among university students. Eating Behaviors, 9(4), 430-437.

Neighbors, L., Sobal, J., Liff, C., & Amiraian, D. (2008). Weighing weight: Trends in body weight evaluation among young adults, 1990 and 2005. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 59(1-2), 68-80.

Neighbors, L., & Sobal, J. (2007). Prevalence and magnitude of body weight and shape dissatisfaction among university students. Eating Behaviors, 9(4), 429-39.

Levitsky, D., Garay, J., Nausbaum, M., Neighbors, L. , & DellaValle, D. (2006). Monitoring weight daily blocks the freshman weight gain: a model for combating the epidemic of obesity. International Journal of Obesity, 30(6), 1003-10.

Neighbors, L., & Painter, J. (2002). Online diet analysis tools: a functional comparison. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102(12), 1738-42.

Neighbors, L. Binge eating. InC. Mitchell & J. Reid-Walsh (Eds.), Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia. Westport: Greenwood Press. In press.

Neighbors, L. Disordered eating. In C. Mitchell & J. Reid-Walsh (Eds.), Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia. Westport : Greenwood Press. In press.

Neighbors, L., & Lynch, A. Fat Girls. In C. Mitchell & J. Reid-Walsh (Eds.), Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia. Westport : Greenwood Press. In press.

Conference Presentations

Neighbors, L. (2009, May). Wedding weight management: An opportunity for healthier ever after? Invited presentation given at the Obesity and the Family Conference, Brigham Young University, Sundance, UT.

Neighbors, L., & Sobal, J. (2007, November). Marital status, body weight perception and weight management among U.S. adults: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 1999-2002. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, Washington, DC.

Sobal, J., Liff, C., Amiraian, D., & Neighbors, L. (2007, August) Is stigmatization of obesity changing? Attitudes towards overweight dating partners in 1990 and 2005. Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.

Neighbors, L., Sobal, J., Liff, C., & Amiraian, D. (2007, June). Weighing weight: Trends in body weight evaluation among young adults, 1990 and 2005. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Oslo, Norway.

Neighbors, L., & Sobal, J. (2007, June). Weight and weddings: Women's weight ideals and weight management behaviors in preparation for their wedding day. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Oslo, Norway.

Neighbors, L. , & Sobal, J. (2006, October). Are larger waistlines leading to increased body acceptance? An examination of current body weight and body weight dissatisfaction in male and female university students. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity , Boston , Massachusetts.

Hackbarth, D., Kouba, J., Neighbors, L., & Caygill, M. (2004, March). Body mass index and country of origin: Use of screening data to identify obesity and health risks among health fair participants. Poster presented at the Ruth K. Palmer Annual Research Symposium, Maywood, Illinois.