Marnie Dobson

Publications of Marnie Dobson

• Sedentary work, low physical job demand, and obesity in US workers.

  Authors: BongKyoo Choi, Peter L Schnall, Haiou Yang, Marnie Dobson, Paul Landsbergis, Leslie Israel, Robert Karasek, Dean Baker

  American journal of industrial medicine. 11/2010; 53(11):1088-101.

  Little is known about the role of low physical activity at work (sedentary work or low physical job demand) in the increasing prevalence of obesity of US workers. This cross-sectional and secondaryLittle is known about the role of low physical activity at work (sedentary work or low physical job demand) in the increasing prevalence of obesity of US workers. This cross-sectional and secondary data analysis included 1,001 male and 1,018 female workers (age range: 32-69) from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) II study (2004-2006). Sedentary work and physical job demand were measured by questionnaire items. Total obesity (based on body mass index) and central obesity (based on waist circumference) were defined using WHO criteria. After controlling for covariates (socio-demographic, psychosocial working conditions, health status, and health behaviors), sedentary work, low physical job demand, or their combination increased the risk for total and central obesity in male workers, particularly when they worked longer than 40 hr per week. Sedentary work marginally increased the risk for total and central obesity in female workers. Low physical activity at work is a significant risk factor for total and central obesity in middle-aged US male workers.

• Psychosocial working conditions and active leisure-time physical activity in middle-aged us workers.

  Authors: Bongkyoo Choi, Peter L Schnall, Haiou Yang, Marnie Dobson, Paul Landsbergis, Leslie Israel, Robert Karasek, Dean Baker

  International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health. 10/2010; 23(3):239-53.

  This study was to examine whether psychosocial work characteristics such as job control, psychological job demands, and their combinations are associated with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) inThis study was to examine whether psychosocial work characteristics such as job control, psychological job demands, and their combinations are associated with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in US workers. 2019 workers (age range: 32 to 69) from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) II study (2004-2006) were chosen for this cross-sectional study. Job control and job demands were measured by standard questionnaire items. Active LTPA was defined as "moderate or vigorous" level of physical activity. After controlling for covariates (e.g., age, race, education, income, physical effort at work, obesity, and alcohol consumption), high job control was associated with active LTPA. Active jobs (high control and low demands) and low-strain jobs (high control and high demands), compared to passive jobs (low control and low demands), increased the odds for active LTPA. The associations varied by sex and education level. Job demands alone were not associated with active LTPA. Having on-the-job learning opportunities and decision authority on their tasks may be conducive to active LTPA in middle-aged US workers.

• Wellness lifestyles I: A theoretical framework linking wellness, health lifestyles, and complementary and alternative medicine.

  Authors: Tonya L Schuster, Marnie Dobson, Maritza Jauregui, Robert H I Blanks

  Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). 05/2004; 10(2):349-56.

  Scholarship concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices within the United States could benefit from incorporating sociological perspectives into the development of aScholarship concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices within the United States could benefit from incorporating sociological perspectives into the development of a comprehensive research agenda. We review the literature on health and wellness emphasizing definitions and distinctions, the health lifestyles literature emphasizing issues of both life choices and life chances, and studies of CAM suggesting utilization as an aspect of a wellness lifestyle. This review forms the foundation of a new theoretical framework for CAM research based on the interrelationship of CAM with health promotion, wellness, and health lifestyles. To date, few studies have sought to bring these various elements together into a single, comprehensive model that would enable an assessment of the complexity of individual health and wellness in the context of CAM. We argue that attention to literatures on health measurement and health lifestyles are essential for exploring the effectiveness and continuing use of CAM.

• Wellness lifestyles II: Modeling the dynamic of wellness, health lifestyle practices, and Network Spinal Analysis.

  Authors: Tonya L Schuster, Marnie Dobson, Maritza Jauregui, Robert H I Blanks

  Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). 05/2004; 10(2):357-67.

  OBJECTIVE: Empirical application of a theoretical framework linking use of Network Spinal Analysis (NSA; a holistic, wellness-oriented form of complementary and alternative medicine [CAM]), healthOBJECTIVE: Empirical application of a theoretical framework linking use of Network Spinal Analysis (NSA; a holistic, wellness-oriented form of complementary and alternative medicine [CAM]), health lifestyle practices, and self-reported health and wellness. DESIGN: Cross-sectional self-administered survey study. RESPONDENTS: Two thousand five hundred and ninety-six (2596) patients from 156 offices of doctors who were members of the Association for Network Chiropractic (currently titled Association for Network Care); estimated response rate was 69%. MEASURES: Exogenous variables entered into the structural equation model include gender, age, education, income, marital status, ailments, life change, and trauma. A wellness construct consisted of calculated difference scores between two referents, "presently" and "before Network" care, for self-reported items representing wellness domains of physical state, mental-emotional state, stress evaluation, and life enjoyment. Positive reported change in nine items assembled into dietary practices, health practices, and health risk dimensions serve as indicators of the construct of changes in health lifestyle practices. The NSA care construct consisted of duration of care in months, awareness of energy and awareness of breathing since beginning Network care. RESULTS: Of the exogenous variables only gender, age, and education remain in the final parsimonious structural equation model in these data. Reported wellness benefits accrue to individuals along a direct path from both self-reported positive lifestyle change (0.22), and from NSA care (0.43). The path (0.65) from NSA care to positive health lifestyle changes indicates that NSA care also has an indirect effect on wellness through changes in health lifestyle practices. CONCLUSIONS: The Structural Equation model tested in these analyses lends support to our theoretical framework linking wellness, health lifestyles, and CAM. This study provides further evidence that our measurements of health and wellness are particularly appropriate for investigating wellness-oriented CAM. There is a positive relationship between the experience of NSA care and self-reported improvements in wellness as well as self-reported changes in lifestyle practices. NSA care users tend toward the practice of a positive health lifestyle, which also has a direct effect on reported improvements in wellness. These empirical links are discussed relative to the sociodemographic characteristics of this population and show that use of NSA care is an aspect of a wellness lifestyle.

• Letters to the Editor

  Authors: Robert H. Blanks, Tonya L Schuster, Marnie Dobson