Press Release on Florida Obesity Rates Reaches Audience of More Than 1.5 Million

A recent University of Florida Health (UF Health) press release reporting that Florida’s obesity rates are 10 percentage points higher than previously thought was picked up by a number of state media outlets, including Florida Trend magazine and numerous newspapers and television stations across Florida.

The findings by researchers from UF Health, Florida Hospital in Orlando and the Tampa-based nonprofit Obesity Action Coalition were reported online in advance of publication on June 14 in the journal Obesity Science and Practice.

HOBI researchers on the team included Stephanie Filipp, the study’s lead author and a UF College of Medicine statistician, Matthew Gurka, Ph.D., a biostatistician and professor in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics (HOBI) who served as senior author of the study, and Michelle Cardel, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., assistant professor in HOBI.

The combined media coverage generated by the press release reached a potential audience of more than 1.5 million.

Read the press release here or review the links to media coverage below.

WCJB TV 20 (Gainesville, FL)

http://www.wcjb.com/content/news/Study-shows-higher-obesity-rate-in-Florida-485724681.html

Health Medicine Network

http://healthmedicinet.com/floridas-obesity-rate-may-be-higher-than-originally-thought-new-study-finds/

Florida Trend Magazine

http://www.floridatrend.com/article/24810/floridas-obesity-rate-may-be-10-higher-than-originally-thought

 Treasure Coast Palm/Part of the USA Today Network

http://ux.tcpalm.com/story/opinion/editorials/2018/06/21/floridians-fatter-than-previously-thought-thumb-down/720942002/

Naples Daily News/ Part of the USA Today Network

https://www.naplesnews.com/videos/news/health/2018/06/21/2018-obesity-rate-florida-higher-than-cdc-data-study-found/36236769/

Panama City News Herald

http://www.newsherald.com/news/20180616/study-florida-obesity-rate-higher-than-thought-at-37-percent

WWSB Suncoast (Sarasota/Bradenton area ABC affiliate)

http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/study-finds-florida-s-obesity-rate-may-be-higher-than/article_2455407c-724f-11e8-a2e1-ab90c17e37a3.html

WUSF Public Media/WUSF News

http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/study-37-floridians-are-obese-rate-higher-originally-thought

Fort Myers News-Press/Part of the USA Today Network

https://www.news-press.com/story/news/2018/06/20/floridians-much-more-obese-than-anyone-thought-uf-study-finds/714207002/

Clinical Trial Exchange

http://www.clinicaltrialexchange.com/feed-items/floridas-obesity-rate-may-be-higher-than-originally-thought-new-study-finds/

Medicalnewser.com
https://www.medicalnewser.com/2018/07/26/floridas-obesity-rate-may-be-higher-than-originally-thought-new-study-finds.html

Spectrum Bay News 9/Charter Communications/Tampa

http://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2018/07/28/obesity-study-shows-bay-area-at-bigger-risk