Biography
I am a sociologist who has incorporated substantive, theoretical, and methodological work from several social science disciplines and fields into my teaching and research about social aspects of food, eating, and nutrition. Substantively, my research focused on the social causes and consequences of obesity, especially marriage and body weight; food choice processes; eating relationships; and food systems. Theoretically, I used a variety of perspectives, and my theoretical work focuses on conceptualizing social relationship trajectories, constructing and negotiating food choice, and how physical factors are related with social factors. Methodologically, I used quantitative and qualitative techniques, and my methodological work focuses upon assessing qualitative sample extensiveness, developing category content elicitation methods, and constructing ways to assess eating partners.
Marriage and Body Weight, Food Choice Processes, Food Systems, Gender and Food
Book Chapters
1. Sobal, J. Social consequences of weight bias by partners, friends, and strangers. In: Brownell K.D., Puhl, R.M., Schwartz, M.B., and Rudd, L. (eds). Weight bias: Nature, consequences, and Remedies. Chapter 11. New York: Guilford. 2005. Pp 150-164.
2. Sobal, J. Sociological Analysis of the Stigmatisation of Obesity. In: Germov, J. and Williams, L. (eds). A Sociology of Food and Nutrition: Introducing the Social Appetite. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 3rd ed. 2008. pp 381-400.
3. Bisogni, C., Bostic, S. and Sobal, J. Food Literacy and Food Choice: A Constructionist Perspective. In: Vidgen, H. (ed). Food Literacy: Key Concepts for Health and Education. New York: Routledge. 2016. Pp 102-117.
4. Sobal J. Men’s Foodwork in Food Systems: Social Representations of Masculinities and Cooking at Home. In: Szabo M, Koch S. (eds). Food, Masculinities, and Home. Chapter 6. New York: Bloomsbury Publishers. 2016. Pp 125-143
5. Sobal, J.Sociological Analysis of the Stigmatisation of Obesity. In: Germov, J. and Williams, L. (eds). A Sociology of Food and Nutrition: The Social Appetite. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 4rd ed. 2017. Pp 259-274.
6. Sobal J. Food System Channels, Health, and Illness. In: Shostak S. (ed). Advances in Medical Sociology: Food Systems and Health. Volume 18. Bingly, UK: Emerald Publishing. 2017.
7. Sobal J. Sociological Analysis of the Stigmatisation of Obesity. In: A Sociology of Food and Nutrition: The Social Appetite. 4th ed. Germov J, Williams L. (eds). New York: Oxford University Press. 2017. Pp 259-274.
8. Sobal J. Food System Channels, Health, and Illness. In: Shostak S. (ed). Advances in Medical Sociology: Food Systems and Health. Volume 18. Bingly, UK: Emerald Publishing. 2017.
Journal Article Non-Refereed
1. Sobal, J., Bisogni, C.A., Jastran, M. Food choice is multifaceted, contextual, dynamic, multilevel, integrated, and diverse.Mind, Brain, and Education 2014:8(1):6-12.
2. Sobal, J., Bisogni, C.A., Jastran, M. Food choice is multifaceted, contextual, dynamic, multilevel, integrated, and diverse.Mind, Brain, and Education 2014:8(1):6-12.
3. Sobal J, Bisogni CA. Constructing food choice decisions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 2009;38(Supplement 1):S37-S46.
Journal Article Refereed
1. Griffin, M., Sobal, J., Lyson, T.A. An analysis of a community food waste stream. Agriculture and Human Values 2009;26(1):67-81.
2. Amaiaran,D.E., Sobal J. Dating and eating: Beliefs about dating foods among university students. Appetite 2009;53:226-232.
3. Jastran, M.M., Bisogni, C.A., Sobal, J., Blake, C., Devine, C.M. Eating routines: Embedded, value based, modifiable, and reflective. Appetite 2009;52(1):127-136.
4. Sobal J, Hanson K, Frongillo EA. Gender, ethnicity, marital status, and body weight in the U.S. Obesity 2009;17:2223-2231.
5. Webber CB, Sobal J, Dollahite JS. Shopping for fruits and vegetables: Food and retail qualities of importance to low-income households at the grocery store. Appetite 2010;54:(in press).
6. Sobal J, Beckman L, Pham A, Croy M, Marquart L. Situational food choices: Social representations of where, when, and who consumes whole grain foods. Topics in Clinical Nutrition 2010;25(1):(in press).
7. Sobal, J., Rauschenbach, B.S., Frongillo, E.A. Body weight and relationship quality among women: associations of obesity and underweight with relationship communication, conflict, and happiness. International Journal of Sociology of the Family 2009:35(1):25-44.
8. Amiraian, D.E., Sobal, J. Dating and eating: How university students select eating settings. Appetite 2009:52(1):226-229.
9. Webber, C.B., Sobal, J., Dollahite, J.S. Shopping for Fruits and Vegetables: Food and Retail Qualities of Importance to Low-Income Households at the Grocery Store. Appetite 2010;54(2):297-303.
10. Sobal, J. Hanson K. Family meals and body weight in U.S. Adults. Public Health Nutrition 2011;(in press).
11. Sobal, J., Hanson, K. Marital status and physical activity in U.S. adults. International Journal of the Sociology of the Family 2010;36:(2):181-198.
12. Sobal, J., Beckman, L., Pham, A., Croy, M., Marquart L. Situational food choices: Social representations of where, when, and who consumes whole grain foods. Topics in Clinical Nutrition 2010;25(1):75-83.
13. Sobal, J. Hanson K. Family meals and body weight in U.S. Adults. Public Health Nutrition 2011;14(9):1555-1562.
14. Chan, J. and Sobal, J. Family meals and body weight: Analysis of multiple family members in family units. Appetite 2011;57:517-524.
15. Bove, C. and Sobal, J. Weight relationships in early marriage: Weight salience, weight comparisons, and weight talk. Appetite 2011;57:729-742.
16. Sobal, J., and Hanson, K. Marital status, marital history, body weight, and obesity. Marriage and Family Review 2011;47(7):474-504.
17. Carroll, J.D., Demment, M.M., Stiles, S.B., Devine, C.M., Dollahite, J.S., Sobal, J. and Olson, C.M. Overcoming barriers to vegetable consumption in preschool children: A child care center buying club. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition 2011;6(2):153-165.
18. Sobal, J., Blake, C., Jastran, M., Lynch, A.I., Bisogni, C.A., Devine, C.M. Eating maps: Places, times, and people in eating episodes. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 2012: (in press).
19. Sobal, J., Blake, C., Jastran, M., Lynch, A.I., Bisogni, C.A., Devine, C.M. Eating maps: Places, times, and people in eating episodes. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 2012:51(3):247-264.
20. Sharp, D., Sobal, J. Using plate mapping to examine sensitivity to plate size in food portions and meal composition among college students. Appetite 2012;59:639-645.
21. Klos, L.A., Sobal, J. Weight and weddings: Engaged men's body weight ideals and wedding weight management behaviors. Appetite 2013;60:133-139.
22. Griffin, M.K., Sobal, J. Sustainable food activities among consumers: A community study. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition 2013;8:379-396
23. Klos, L.A., Sobal, J. Marital status and body weight, weight perception, and weight management among U.S. Adults. Eating Behaviors 2013;14(4):500-507.
24. Klos, L.A., Sobal, J. Weight and weddings: Engaged men’s body weight ideals and wedding weight management behaviors. Appetite 2013;60:133-139
25. Cawley, J., Joyner, K., Sobal, J. Size matters: The influence of adolescents' weight and height on dating and sex. Rationality and Society 2006;18(1):(in press)
26. Uusitalo, U., Sobal, J., Moothoosamy, L., Chitson, P., Shaw, J., Zimmet, P., Tuomilehto, J. Dietary Westernization: Conceptualisation and measurement in Mauritius. Public Health Nutrition 2005;8(6):608-619.
27. Blair, D., Sobal, J. Luxus consumption: Wasting food resources through overeating. Agriculture and Human Values 2006;(in press).
28. Marquart, L., Pham, A., Lautenschlager, L., Croy, M., Sobal, J. Beliefs about whole grain foods by food and nutrition professionals, health club members, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children participants/state fair attendees. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2006:106(11):1856-1860.
29. Kim, K.H., McIntosh, W.A., Sobal, J., Kubena, K. Religion, social support, diet, nutrition, and anthropometrics in older adults. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 2007;46:(in press).
30. Wansink, B., Sobal, J. Mindless eating: The 200 daily food decisions we overlook. Environment and Behavior 2007;39(1):106-123.
31. Bisogni, C.A., Falk, L.W., Madore, E., Blake, C.E., Jastran, M., Sobal, J., Devine, C.M. Dimensions of everyday eating and drinking episodes. Appetite 2007;48:218-231.
32. Blair, D., Sobal, J. Luxus consumption: Wasting food resources through overeating. Agriculture and Human Values 2006;23:63-74.
33. Cawley, J., Joyner, K., Sobal, J. Size matters: The influence of adolescents' weight and height on dating and sex. Rationality and Society 2006;18(1):67-94.
34. Osman, J., Sobal, J. Chocolate cravings in American and Spanish Individuals: Biological and cultural influences. Appetite 2006:47:290-301.
35. Bove, C.A., Sobal, J. Foodwork in newly married couples: Making family meals. Food, Culture, and Society 2006;9(1):69-89..
36. Sobal, J., Wansink, B. Kitchenscapes, tablescapes, platescapes, and foodscapes: Influences of micro-level built environments on food intake. Environment and Behavior 2007;39(1):124-142.
37. Neighbors, L., Sobal, J. Weight and weddings: Women's weight ideals and weight management behavior for their wedding day. Appetite 2008;50(in press).
38. Webber, C.B., Sobal, J., Dollahite, J.S. Physical disabilities and food access among limited resource households. Disability Studies Quarterly 2007;24(3):Summer, www.dsq-sds.org
39. Kim, K.H., McIntosh, W.A., Sobal, J., Kubena, K. Religion, social support, diet, nutrition, and anthropometrics in older adults. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 2007;46:(in press).
40. Neighbors, L., Sobal, J. Prevalence and magnitude of body weight and shape dissatisfaction among university students. Eating Behaviors 2007;8:429-439.
41. Bisogni, C.A., Falk, L.W., Madore, E., Blake, C.E., Jastran, M., Sobal, J., Devine, C.M. Dimensions of everyday eating and drinking episodes. Appetite 2007;48:218-231.
42. Hanson, K., Sobal, J., Frongillo, E.A. Gender and marital status clarify relationships between food security and body weight. Journal of Nutrition 2007:137:1460-1465.
43. Blake, C., Bisogni, C.A., Sobal, J., Devine, C., Jastran, M. Classifying foods in contexts: How adults categorize foods in different settings. Appetite 2007;49(2):500-510.
44. Neighbors, L., Sobal, J., Liff, C., Amiraian, D. Weighing weight: Trends in body weight evaluation among young adults, 1990 and 2005. Sex Roles 2008;59(1/2):68-80.
45. Neighbors, L., Sobal, J. Weight and weddings: Expectations about wedding-specific body weight and shape ideals and dieting and exercise behavior among university students. Eating Behaviors 2008;9(4):430-237.
46. Carmalt, J.H., Joyner, K., Cawley, J.H., Sobal, J. Body weight and matching with a physically attractive romantic partner. Journal of Marriage and Family 2008;70(6):1287-1296.
47. Sobal, J., Rauschenbach, B.S., Frongillo, E.A. Body weight and relationship quality among women: associations of obesity and underweight with relationship communication, conflict, and happiness. International Journal of Sociology of the Family 2009: (in press).
48. Amiraian, D.E., Sobal, J. Dating and eating: How university students select eating settings. Appetite 2009:52(1):(in press).
49. Neighbors, L., Sobal, J. Weight and weddings: Women's weight ideals and weight management behavior for their wedding day. Appetite 2008;50(2-3):550-554.
50. Kim, K.H., McIntosh, W.A., Sobal, J., Kubena, K. Religion, social support, diet, nutrition, and anthropometrics in older adults. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 2008;47:205-228.
51. Hanson, K., Sobal, J., Vermeylen, F. Social selection and social causation in marriage and health: Longitudinal evidence of body weight change.Marriage and Family Review 2014:50:373-394.
52. Sobal J, Hanson K. Family dinner frequency, settings and sources, and body weight in U.S. adults. Appetite 2014;78(1):81-88.
53. Griffin MK, Sobal J. Consumer food system publication: A community analysis. Ecology of Food and Nutrition 2014;53(6):579-595.
54. Pacanowski CR, Sobal J, Levitsky DA, Sherwood NE, Keeler CL, Miller AM, Acosta AR, Hansen N, Wang PL, Guilbert SR, Paroly AL, Commesso M, Vermeylen FM. Does measuring body weight impact subsequent response to eating behavior questions? Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2015 (in press)..
55. Pacanowski CR, Sobal J, Levitsky DA, Sherwood NE, Keeler CL, Miller AM, Acosta AR, Hansen N, Wang PL, Guilbert SR, Paroly AL, Commesso M, Vermeylen FM. Does measuring body weight impact subsequent response to eating behavior questions? Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2015;28(4):281-306.
56. Bostic S, Bisogni CA, Sobal J. Older adults' household cooking: Card sort analyses. British Food Journal 2016;118(2):1-16.
57. Bostic, S., Bisogni, C.A., Sobal, J. Older adults' household cooking: Card sort analyses. British Food Journal 2016;118(2):1-16.
58. Hanson, K., Sobal, J., Vermeylen, F. Social selection and social causation in marriage and health: Longitudinal evidence of body weight change.Marriage and Family Review 2014:(in press).
59. Blake, C.E., Bisogni, C.A., Sobal, J., Jastran, M., Devine, C.M. How adults construct evening meals: Scripts for food choice. Appetite 2008;51(3):654-662.
60. Jastran, M.M., Bisogni, C.A., Sobal, J., Blake, C., Devine, C.M. Eating routines: Embedded, value based, modifiable, and reflective. Appetite 2009;52(1):(in press)
61. Griffin, M., Sobal, J., Lyson, T.A. An analysis of a community food waste stream. Agriculture and Human Values 2009;26(1):(in press).
62. Sobal, J. Men, meat, and marriage: Models of masculinity. Food and Foodways 2005;13(1-2):135-158.
63. Bove, C.A., Sobal, J. Foodwork in newly married couples: Making family meals. Food, Culture, and Society 2006;9(1):(in press).
64. Lee, S., Sobal, J., Frongillo, E.A., Olson, C.M., and Wolfe, W.S. Parity and body weight in the United States: Differences by race and size of place of residence. Obesity Research 2005;13(7):1263-1269.
65. Bostic, S.M., Sobal, J., Bisogni, C.A., Monclova, J.M. Types and characteristics of fish and seafood provisioning scripts used by rural midlife adults. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 2017;49(7):535-544.
66. Yeary KHC, Sobal J, Wethington E. Religion and body weight: A review of quantitative studies. Obesity Reviews 2017;18(10):1210-1222.
67. Sobal J, Milgram M. Gendertyping sports: Social representations of masculine, feminine, and non-gendered sports among U.S. university students. Journal of Gender Studies 2017 (in press).
68. Lin A, Bergoni EJ, Dollahite JS, Sobal J, Hoeger K, Lujan M. Trust in physicians and beliefs about medical experiences differ between women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome. Human Reproduction 2017 (in press).
American Sociological Association (ASA)
Eastern Sociological Society (ESS)
Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS)
Cornell Graduate Field Memberships: Nutrition; Development Sociology; Demography; Epidemiology
1972, BA, Biology, Bucknell University
1974, MA, Sociology, University of Pennsylvania
1983, MPH, Behavioral Science, Nutrition, and Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University
1978, PhD, Sociology, University of Pennsylvania