Over the past thirty-five years, the U.S. adult obesity rate has more than doubled from roughly 15% to 35%, reflecting a general diffusion of obesity across all segments of the adult population (USDHHS). Obesity is a concern because it increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes,...

A nonlinear ensemble prediction model for typhoon rainstorm has been developed based on particle swarm optimization-neural network (PSO-NN). In this model, PSO algorithm is employed for optimizing the network structure and initial weight of the NN with creating multiple ensemble members. The...

This paper formulates and estimates a structural intertemporal model of a woman’s household participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and her likelihood of being obese. We use an economic model of lifetime behavior in a finite life model to provide the structure of...

Adult height is associated with a variety of familial and socio-economic factors and large, well-defined populations are needed for a reliable assessment of their relative contributions. We therefore analyzed recorded heights from the military health examinations of 18-year conscripts in the...