Childhood and adolescent obesity treatment interventions will be the focus of the next program in The Provost Presents Faculty Research Series when it resumes at noon Thursday, Feb. 29, at Cal State San Bernardino’s John M. Pfau Library.

“Childhood and adolescent obesity treatment interventions: Where are we now and where do we need to go?” will be presented by Neal Malik, CSUSB associate professor of health science and human ecology and director of the master in public health program. His talk, which is free and open to the public, will take place in Pfau Library, room 4005, as well as on Zoom.

Malik will discuss the fact that only “1% of scientific publications have focused on the health of children and adolescents, yet rates of obesity and disease within these groups are increasing. Short- and long-term health effects of obesity include increased risks for Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer,” the event flyer reads.

“Yet, the traditional model for obesity treatment does not appear to be effective. Dropout rates within weight management interventions range from 50-65%, on average,” the flyer says. “New approaches to this significant health crisis are critically needed.”

Malik, who hosts a podcast, “Optimal Health Daily,” has worked in higher education since 2007. Prior to his current position, he served as department chair and assistant professor within the department of nutrition and basic sciences at Bastyr University California. His roles have also included serving as the registered dietitian nutritionist and occupational wellness specialist for the University of California, Riverside, and as a lifestyle educator at Kaiser Permanente. He has also held adjunct teaching positions at Crafton Hills College and California State University, Fullerton.

Malik has a bachelor of arts in psychology and social behavior from the University of California, Irvine. He also has a master of public health in health promotion and education, as well as a doctor of public health in preventive care, from Loma Linda University. He joined CSUSB in September 2019.

The Provost Presents Faculty Research is co-sponsored by the Faculty Center for Excellence and the CSUSB Libraries.

For more information, contact Robie Madrigal, library outreach specialist, at rmadriga@csusb.edu or (909) 537-5104.