Brian Elbel
Biographic Data
| ID | 221937 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Brian Elbel |
| GIVEN NAMES | Brian |
| FAMILY NAME | Elbel |
| SIGNATURE | ELBEL B |
| AFFILIATIONS | New York University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1615-9430 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 39 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 18 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 39 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Estimating the impacts of calorie labels in fast-food settings using a novel comparison
Parental Factors Associated With Measles–Mumps–Rubella Vaccination in US Children Younger Than 5 Years
Objectives. To determine the association between parental characteristics and MMR (measles–mumps– rubella) vaccination status of children in the United States. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study from July 2023 to April 2024 using a digital health survey via OutbreaksNearMe, weighted to target national population characteristics. We analyzed the responses of 19 892 parents of children younger than 5 years to examine the association betw…
Evaluating the outcomes and implementation determinants of interventions co-developed using human-centered design to promote healthy eating in restaurants
Background Restaurants are an emerging yet underutilized setting to facilitate healthier eating, particularly among minoritized communities that disproportionately experience health inequities. The present study aimed to examine outcomes from interventions co-developed using Human-Centered Design (HCD) in two Latin American restaurants, including sales of healthier menu items (HMI) and the consumer nutrition environment. In addition, we aimed to …
The Link between Gentrification, Children’s Egocentric Food Environment, and Obesity
While advocates argue that gentrification changes the neighborhood food environment critical to children's diet and health, we have little evidence documenting such changes or the consequences for their health outcomes. Using rich longitudinal, individual-level data on nearly 115,000 New York City children, including egocentric measures of their food environment and BMI, we examine the link between neighborhood demographic change ("gentrification…
The effects of owner-occupied housing on student outcomes
Exploring Flexibility in Philanthropic Funding for Place-Based Efforts to Improve Community Health
Place-based efforts represent a key approach for philanthropies committed to addressing social determinants of health. This article shares insights and reflections from an experience funding and evaluating the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative, a $22 million, six-year, place-based effort by two grantmaking foundations in nine geographically and demographically diverse communities across New York state. The initiative aimed to facilitate healthy li…
Association between racial residential segregation and walkability in 745 U.S. cities
Despite higher chronic disease prevalence, minoritized populations live in highly walkable neighborhoods in US cities more frequently than non-minoritized populations. We investigated whether city-level racial residential segregation (RRS) was associated with city-level walkability, stratified by population density, possibly explaining this counterintuitive association. RRS for Black-White and Latino-White segregation in large US cities was calcu…
The Relationship between School Infrastructure and School Nutrition Program Participation and Policies in New York City
School nutrition programs (SNP) provide much needed access to fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods at low or no cost. Yet, the infrastructure of school kitchens and cafeteria vary across schools, potentially contributing to systematic barriers for SNP operation and equity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between school infrastructure and outcomes including meal participation, untraditional lunch periods, and having …
Promoting healthy eating in Latin American restaurants
LARs can positively influence eating behaviors but doing so requires balancing public health goals and business profitability. LARs also faced various constraints that require different levels of assistance and resources, underscoring the need for innovative engagement approaches, including incentives, to promote these changes
Perceptions of a food benefit programme that includes financial incentives for the purchase of fruits and vegetables and restrictions on the purchase of foods high in added sugar
Objective: To report perspectives of participants in a food benefit programme that includes foods high in added sugar (FAS) restrictions and FAS restrictions paired with fruits and vegetables (F/V) incentives. Design: Randomised experimental trial in which participant perspectives were an exploratory study outcome. Setting: Participants were randomised into one of three Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-like food benefit programme …
Exposure to local violent crime and childhood obesity and fitness
The Prenatal Neighborhood Environment and Geographic Hotspots of Infants with At-risk Birthweights in New York City
Area Characteristics and Consumer Nutrition Environments in Restaurants
Hispanics in the USA, particularly those of Caribbean descent, experience high levels of diet-related diseases and dietary risk factors. Restaurants are an increasingly important yet understudied source of food and may present opportunities to positively influence urban food environments. We sought to explore food environments further, by examining the association between neighborhood characteristics and restaurant consumer nutrition environments…
Does proximity to fast food cause childhood obesity? Evidence from public housing
High financial hardship and mental health burden among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
Prior research has documented the ways in which financial hardships negatively impact health, particularly mental health. However, this association between financial hardships and mental health outcomes has rarely been examined in sexual minorities. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between financial hardships and mental health burdens among a sample of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Paris, France. …
Food Industry Donations to Academic Programs
No studies have documented the prevalence of the food industry's funding of academic programs, which is problematic because such funding can create conflicts of interest in research and clinical practice. We aimed to quantify the publicly available information on the food industry's donations to academic programs by documenting the amount of donations given over time, categorizing the types of academic programs that receive food industry donation…
Ethnic Restaurant Nutrition Environments and Cardiovascular Health
Our application of the NEMS-R to HC restaurants in NYC revealed areas for potential future interventions to improve food offerings and environmental cues to encourage healthful choices
Healthful and less-healthful foods and drinks from storefront and non-storefront businesses
Objective: Conceptualisations of ‘food deserts’ (areas lacking healthful food/drink) and ‘food swamps’ (areas overwhelm by less-healthful fare) may be both inaccurate and incomplete. Our objective was to more accurately and completely characterise food/drink availability in urban areas. Design: Cross-sectional assessment of select healthful and less-healthful food/drink offerings from storefront businesses (stores, restaurants) and non-storefront…
Engaging Ethnic Restaurants to Improve Community Nutrition Environments
This study used interviews with New York City Hispanic Caribbean (HC) restaurant owners, managers, and cooks/chefs (n=19) to examine perceptions concerning the healthfulness of the HC diet and diet-related disparities in the HC community, and document factors potentially influencing their engagement in community nutrition interventions. The interviews revealed high awareness of diet-related issues. Respondents had mixed notions concerning their r…
Relationship between retail food outlets near public schools and adolescent obesity in New York City
Assessing county-level determinants of diabetes in the United States (2003–2012)
A protocol for measuring the impact of a smoke-free housing policy on indoor tobacco smoke exposure
The baseline survey was completed by 559 NYCHA residents and 471 comparison building residents (response rates, 35, and 32%, respectively). Smoking prevalence was comparable between study arms (15.7% among NYCHA residents and 15.2% among comparison residents). The majority of residents reported supporting a building-wide smoke-free policy (63.0 and 59.9%, respectively). We enrolled 157 NYCHA and 118 comparison non-smoking households into the long…
Evaluating the influence of racially targeted food and beverage advertisements on Black and White adolescents’ perceptions and preferences
Supermarket retailers’ perspectives on healthy food retail strategies
Understanding retailers' in-store decision making will allow development of targeted healthy food retail policy approaches and interventions, and provide important insights into how to improve the food environment
Change in Obesity Prevalence among New York City Adults
Same Strategy Different Industry
In March 2013 a state judge invalidated New York City’s proposal to ban sales of sugar-sweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces; the case is under appeal. This setback was attributable in part to opposition from the beverage industry and racial/ethnic minority organizations they support. We provide lessons from similar tobacco industry efforts to block policies that reduced smoking prevalence. We offer recommendations that draw on the tobacco co…
The Effect of Breakfast in the Classroom on Obesity and Academic Performance
Participation in the federally subsidized school breakfast program often falls well below its lunchtime counterpart. To increase take-up, many districts have implemented Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), offering breakfast directly to students at the start of the school day. Beyond increasing participation, advocates claim BIC improves academic performance, attendance, and engagement. Others caution BIC has deleterious effects on child weight. We…
Evaluating the influence of racially targeted food and beverage advertisements on Black and White adolescents’ perceptions and preferences
A Water Availability Intervention in New York City Public Schools
Objectives. We determined the influence of “water jets” on observed water and milk taking and self-reported fluid consumption in New York City public schools. Methods. From 2010 to 2011, before and 3 months after water jet installation in 9 schools, we observed water and milk taking in cafeterias (mean 1000 students per school) and surveyed students in grades 5, 8, and 11 (n = 2899) in the 9 schools that received water jets and 10 schools that di…
Association between racial residential segregation and walkability in 745 U.S. cities
Despite higher chronic disease prevalence, minoritized populations live in highly walkable neighborhoods in US cities more frequently than non-minoritized populations. We investigated whether city-level racial residential segregation (RRS) was associated with city-level walkability, stratified by population density, possibly explaining this counterintuitive association. RRS for Black-White and Latino-White segregation in large US cities was calcu…
Relationship between retail food outlets near public schools and adolescent obesity in New York City
Assessing county-level determinants of diabetes in the United States (2003–2012)
Change in Obesity Prevalence among New York City Adults
Determining Chronic Disease Prevalence in Local Populations Using Emergency Department Surveillance
Objectives. We sought to improve public health surveillance by using a geographic analysis of emergency department (ED) visits to determine local chronic disease prevalence. Methods. Using an all-payer administrative database, we determined the proportion of unique ED patients with diabetes, hypertension, or asthma. We compared these rates to those determined by the New York City Community Health Survey. For diabetes prevalence, we also analyzed …
Calorie Labeling And Food Choices: A First Look At The Effects On Low-Income People In New York City
We examined the influence of menu calorie labels on fast food choices in the wake of New York City's labeling mandate. Receipts and survey responses were collected from 1,156 adults at fast-food restaurants in low-income, minority New York communities. These were compared to a sample in Newark, New Jersey, a city that had not introduced menu labeling. We found that 27.7 percent who saw calorie labeling in New York said the information influenced …
Health and social services expenditures
OBJECTIVE: To examine variations in health service expenditures and social services expenditures across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries and assess their association with five population-level health outcomes. DESIGN: A pooled, cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2009 release of the OECD Health Data 2009 Statistics and Indicators and OECD Social Expenditure Database. SETTING: OECD countries (n = 30)…
Same Strategy Different Industry
In March 2013 a state judge invalidated New York City’s proposal to ban sales of sugar-sweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces; the case is under appeal. This setback was attributable in part to opposition from the beverage industry and racial/ethnic minority organizations they support. We provide lessons from similar tobacco industry efforts to block policies that reduced smoking prevalence. We offer recommendations that draw on the tobacco co…
Assessment of a government-subsidized supermarket in a high-need area on household food availability and children’s dietary intakes
Objective To assess the impact of a new government-subsidized supermarket in a high-need area on household food availability and dietary habits in children. Design A difference-in-difference study design was utilized. Setting Two neighbourhoods in the Bronx, New York City. Outcomes were collected in Morrisania, the target community where the new supermarket was opened, and Highbridge, the comparison community. Subjects Parents/caregivers of a chi…
A Water Availability Intervention in New York City Public Schools
Objectives. We determined the influence of “water jets” on observed water and milk taking and self-reported fluid consumption in New York City public schools. Methods. From 2010 to 2011, before and 3 months after water jet installation in 9 schools, we observed water and milk taking in cafeterias (mean 1000 students per school) and surveyed students in grades 5, 8, and 11 (n = 2899) in the 9 schools that received water jets and 10 schools that di…
Determining Chronic Disease Prevalence in Local Populations Using Emergency Department Surveillance
Objectives. We sought to improve public health surveillance by using a geographic analysis of emergency department (ED) visits to determine local chronic disease prevalence. Methods. Using an all-payer administrative database, we determined the proportion of unique ED patients with diabetes, hypertension, or asthma. We compared these rates to those determined by the New York City Community Health Survey. For diabetes prevalence, we also analyzed …
Walk Score, Transportation Mode Choice, and Walking Among French Adults
Walkable neighborhoods were associated with increases in walking among adults in Paris, as documented at the trip level. Creating walkable neighborhoods (through neighborhood design increased commercial activity) may increase walking trips and, therefore, could be a relevant health promotion strategy to increase physical activity
Neighborhood Stigma and Sleep
The primary objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between neighborhood stigma and sleep in a sample of low-income housing residents in New York City. Data were derived from the NYC Low-Income Housing, Neighborhoods, and Health Study (N = 120). Adults living in low-income housing completed a survey consisting of measures of neighborhood stigma, sleep quality, and sleep duration. Neighborhood stigma and sleep were self-reporte…
The Effect of Breakfast in the Classroom on Obesity and Academic Performance
Participation in the federally subsidized school breakfast program often falls well below its lunchtime counterpart. To increase take-up, many districts have implemented Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), offering breakfast directly to students at the start of the school day. Beyond increasing participation, advocates claim BIC improves academic performance, attendance, and engagement. Others caution BIC has deleterious effects on child weight. We…
Correlates of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Purchased for Children at Fast-Food Restaurants
Objectives. To determine consumer and fast-food purchase characteristics associated with the purchase of a sugar-sweetened beverage, as well as calories and grams of sugar, for children at a fast-food restaurant. Methods. We completed cross-sectional analyses of fast-food restaurant receipts and point-of-purchase surveys (n = 483) collected during 2013 and 2014 in New York City and Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey. Results. Caregivers purchased…
Association of financial hardship with poor sleep health outcomes among men who have sex with men
Previous studies have identified an association between socioeconomic status and sleep health. While some research has studied this association among sexual minority groups, including men who have sex with men (MSM), they exclusively focused on US-based populations. The interplay between the two in shaping sleep health has not been previously examined on populations residing outside the US. This study considers both determinants, by investigating…
Financial Hardship, Condomless Anal Intercourse and HIV Risk Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Energy contribution of sugar-sweetened beverage refills at fast-food restaurants
Objective To identify demographic and consumer characteristics associated with refilling a soft drink at fast-food restaurants and the estimated energy content and volume of those refills. Design Logistic and linear regression with cross-sectional survey data. Setting Data include fast-food restaurant receipts and consumer surveys collected from restaurants in New York City (all boroughs except Staten Island), and Newark and Jersey City, New Jers…
Do sedentary behavior and physical activity spatially cluster? Analysis of a population-based sample of Boston adolescents
Supermarket retailers’ perspectives on healthy food retail strategies
Understanding retailers' in-store decision making will allow development of targeted healthy food retail policy approaches and interventions, and provide important insights into how to improve the food environment
Change in Obesity Prevalence among New York City Adults
A protocol for measuring the impact of a smoke-free housing policy on indoor tobacco smoke exposure
The baseline survey was completed by 559 NYCHA residents and 471 comparison building residents (response rates, 35, and 32%, respectively). Smoking prevalence was comparable between study arms (15.7% among NYCHA residents and 15.2% among comparison residents). The majority of residents reported supporting a building-wide smoke-free policy (63.0 and 59.9%, respectively). We enrolled 157 NYCHA and 118 comparison non-smoking households into the long…
Evaluating the influence of racially targeted food and beverage advertisements on Black and White adolescents’ perceptions and preferences
Does proximity to fast food cause childhood obesity? Evidence from public housing
High financial hardship and mental health burden among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
Prior research has documented the ways in which financial hardships negatively impact health, particularly mental health. However, this association between financial hardships and mental health outcomes has rarely been examined in sexual minorities. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between financial hardships and mental health burdens among a sample of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Paris, France. …
Food Industry Donations to Academic Programs
No studies have documented the prevalence of the food industry's funding of academic programs, which is problematic because such funding can create conflicts of interest in research and clinical practice. We aimed to quantify the publicly available information on the food industry's donations to academic programs by documenting the amount of donations given over time, categorizing the types of academic programs that receive food industry donation…
Ethnic Restaurant Nutrition Environments and Cardiovascular Health
Our application of the NEMS-R to HC restaurants in NYC revealed areas for potential future interventions to improve food offerings and environmental cues to encourage healthful choices
Healthful and less-healthful foods and drinks from storefront and non-storefront businesses
Objective: Conceptualisations of ‘food deserts’ (areas lacking healthful food/drink) and ‘food swamps’ (areas overwhelm by less-healthful fare) may be both inaccurate and incomplete. Our objective was to more accurately and completely characterise food/drink availability in urban areas. Design: Cross-sectional assessment of select healthful and less-healthful food/drink offerings from storefront businesses (stores, restaurants) and non-storefront…
Engaging Ethnic Restaurants to Improve Community Nutrition Environments
This study used interviews with New York City Hispanic Caribbean (HC) restaurant owners, managers, and cooks/chefs (n=19) to examine perceptions concerning the healthfulness of the HC diet and diet-related disparities in the HC community, and document factors potentially influencing their engagement in community nutrition interventions. The interviews revealed high awareness of diet-related issues. Respondents had mixed notions concerning their r…
Relationship between retail food outlets near public schools and adolescent obesity in New York City
Medicine (34 works) · Environmental health (28 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (25 works) · Demography (17 works) · Economics (16 works) · Gerontology (16 works) · Psychology (15 works) · Business (14 works) · Geography (14 works) · Sociology (14 works)