Key papers in Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Pofolia’s corpus holds 70 papers from the Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health subfield (2012–2026). The list below starts with the most cited.
Most cited
Ranked by citation count. Because citations accumulate over time, this list naturally leans towards work published a few years ago; for where the field is now, see “recently added”.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
JAMA · 2018 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 709.07 · 9,723 citations
The updated Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, provide specific recommendations for diverse age groups and populations, emphasizing that increasing physical activity, even modestly, offers substantial health benefits.
Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the United States, 2011-2012
JAMA · 2014 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 1564.40 · 8,139 citations
Obesity prevalence remained stable in US adults and youth aged 2-19 between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012, with 34.9% of adults and 16.9% of youth classified as obese in 2011-2012.
Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity in 195 Countries over 25 Years
New England Journal of Medicine · 2017 · Q1 · SJR 18.00 · FWCI 596.31 · 7,990 citations · Open access
Globally, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has dramatically increased since 1980, doubling in over 70 countries, with childhood obesity rising faster than adult rates.
Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement studies in 128·9 million children, adolescents, and adults
The Lancet · 2017 · FWCI 557.83 · 7,670 citations · Open access
Global obesity prevalence in children and adolescents surged from under 1% to over 5% between 1975 and 2016, while moderate/severe underweight decreased, with trends now diverging from adults in many regions.
Genetics of Food Intake Self-Regulation in Childhood: Literature Review and Research Opportunities
Human Heredity · 2013 · Q4 · FWCI 664.51 · 7,619 citations · Open access
Childhood obesity significantly predicts adult obesity, with the risk escalating dramatically for older children (15-17 years old) who were obese, showing an odds ratio of 17.5 after accounting for parental obesity.
Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
The Lancet · 2016 · FWCI 691.67 · 7,413 citations · Open access
A comprehensive 2015 analysis of 310 diseases and injuries reveals that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and NCD sequelae increasingly drive global disability, with lower back and neck pain being the leading cause in most countries.
Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
The Lancet · 2019 · FWCI 560.27 · 5,794 citations · Open access
In 2017, suboptimal diets were linked to 11 million deaths and 255 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) globally, with high sodium and low whole grain/fruit intake being the primary drivers.
The SCARE 2020 Guideline: Updating Consensus Surgical CAse REport (SCARE) Guidelines
International Journal of Surgery · 2020 · FWCI 915.31 · 5,595 citations
The SCARE Guidelines, a framework for reporting surgical case reports to enhance transparency and robustness, have been updated to the 2020 version through a Delphi consensus exercise.
Prevalence of Obesity and Trends in the Distribution of Body Mass Index Among US Adults, 1999-2010
JAMA · 2012 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 839.92 · 5,415 citations
US adult obesity prevalence remained stable between 2003-2008 and 2009-2010, with 35.5% of men and 35.8% of women classified as obese.
Trends in adult body-mass index in 200 countries from 1975 to 2014: a pooled analysis of 1698 population-based measurement studies with 19·2 million participants
The Lancet · 2016 · FWCI 546.39 · 5,281 citations · Open access
Global average BMI increased significantly in both men and women from 1975 to 2014, with obesity prevalence rising from 3.2% to 10.8% in men and 6.4% to 14.9% in women.
Leishmaniasis Worldwide and Global Estimates of Its Incidence
PLoS ONE · 2012 · Q1 · FWCI 307.60 · 5,195 citations · Open access
Global estimates suggest 0.2 to 0.4 million visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases and 0.7 to 1.2 million cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases annually, with VL concentrated in six countries and CL widely distributed.
CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain—United States, 2016
JAMA · 2016 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 649.48 · 5,183 citations · Open access
The 2016 CDC guideline recommends nonopioid therapies as the preferred treatment for chronic pain, emphasizing that opioids should only be used when benefits outweigh risks and at the lowest effective dosage.
2019 ESC Guidelines on diabetes, pre-diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases developed in collaboration with the EASD
European Heart Journal · 2019 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 536.42 · 4,884 citations · Open access
These 2019 ESC Guidelines, developed with the EASD, offer recommendations for managing diabetes, pre-diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases based on the scientific evidence available at the time of publication.
African Journal of Biotechnology
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY · 2026 · 4,542 citations
A survey of 1191 fish from a Nigerian freshwater lake revealed 11 parasite species, with Neoechinorhynchus sp.2 showing the highest prevalence (71.7%) and abundance (54.90 ± 2.74).
Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries
Nutrition Reviews · 2012 · Q1 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 212.74 · 4,313 citations · Open access
Developing countries are experiencing a rapid increase in obesity and overweight due to dietary shifts towards processed foods and reduced physical activity, a trend that began in the 1970s.
RETRACTED: Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet
New England Journal of Medicine · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 18.00 · FWCI 560.04 · 4,240 citations · Open access
A randomized trial found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either extra-virgin olive oil or nuts significantly reduced major cardiovascular events by 28-30% in individuals at high risk.
Accelerated modern human–induced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction
Science Advances · 2015 · Q1 · SJR 4.00 · FWCI 240.75 · 4,151 citations · Open access
Human activities are causing vertebrate species loss at rates up to 100 times higher than the background rate, indicating a sixth mass extinction is already underway.
Association of All-Cause Mortality With Overweight and Obesity Using Standard Body Mass Index Categories
JAMA · 2013 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 399.69 · 3,990 citations
A meta-analysis of 97 studies involving over 2.88 million individuals found that obesity (BMI ≥30) is associated with a 18% higher risk of all-cause mortality, and severe obesity (BMI ≥35) with a 29% higher risk, compared to normal weight.
Prevalence of Obesity and Trends in Body Mass Index Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999-2010
JAMA · 2012 · Q1 · SJR 5.00 · FWCI 770.94 · 3,961 citations
Obesity prevalence in US children and adolescents (ages 2-19) remained stable at 16.9% between 2007-2008 and 2009-2010, but a 12-year trend analysis revealed a significant increase in obesity among males aged 2-19.
Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants
The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health · 2019 · Q1 · SJR 4.00 · FWCI 335.87 · 3,946 citations
Globally, 81% of adolescents aged 11-17 were insufficiently physically active in 2016, with girls (84.7%) more affected than boys (77.6%). While insufficient activity decreased for boys between 2001-2016, it remained unchanged for girls.
Recently added
Positive but insufficient: ghana's attempt at eradicating period-related school absenteeism through sanitary pads provision for schoolgirls
Frontiers in Reproductive Health · 2026 · Q1 · Open access
Ghana's free sanitary pad policy, while addressing a part of the problem, is insufficient to eradicate period-related school absenteeism because menstrual discomfort is a more significant driver than pad access.
Annals of Translational Medicine
Annals of Translational Medicine · 2026 · 784 citations
The Annals of Translational Medicine publishes research across various medical fields. Its scope includes multimodality therapy, biomarkers, imaging, biology, pathology, and technical advancements.
African Journal of Biotechnology
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY · 2026 · 4,542 citations
A survey of 1191 fish from a Nigerian freshwater lake revealed 11 parasite species, with Neoechinorhynchus sp.2 showing the highest prevalence (71.7%) and abundance (54.90 ± 2.74).
Physical Activity and Excess Body Weight and Adiposity for Adults. American College of Sports Medicine Consensus Statement
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2024 · Q1 · SJR 1.00 · FWCI 25.75 · 62 citations
ACSM recommends at least 150 min/week of moderate-intensity physical activity for weight loss and prevention of weight gain, with benefits occurring in a dose-response manner. High-intensity interval training is not superior to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for weight regulation.
Physical Activity and Excess Body Weight and Adiposity for Adults. American College of Sports Medicine Consensus Statement
Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine · 2024 · Q2 · FWCI 8.76 · 21 citations
ACSM recommends at least 150 min/week of moderate-intensity physical activity for weight loss and prevention of weight gain, with benefits occurring in a dose-response manner.
Add this field to your daily feed
Pick your interests and new work in your area arrives every day, summarised. Full summaries live in the app.
Open the app