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Most cited papers in Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

What are the most cited papers in Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet?

The most cited paper in Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet is "International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 12-Country Reliability and Validity" (Cora L. Craig, Alison L. Marshall, MICHAEL SJ??STR??M et al., 2003), with 22,204 citations. Next come "Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey" (16,616) and "Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013" (12,158).

Showing 50 of 100 papers. Every paper with more than 2,629 citations is listed.

Most cited papers, sortable by citations and release date
#Paper
1 International Physical Activity Questionnaire: 12-Country Reliability and Validity Cora L. Craig, Alison L. Marshall, MICHAEL SJ??STR??M et al. · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Aug 2003 22,204
2 Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey Tim James Cole · BMJ Open access 6 May 2000 16,616
3 Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 Marie Ng et al. · The Lancet Open access140 authors 28 May 2014 12,158
4 World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour Fiona Bull et al. · British Journal of Sports Medicine Open access 25 Nov 2020 11,799
5 The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence: a revision of the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire Todd F. Heatherton, Lynn T. Kozlowski, Richard C. Frecker et al. · British Journal of Addiction Sep 1991 10,879
6 The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Katrina L. Piercy, Richard P. Troiano, Rachel Ballard et al. · JAMA Open access 12 Nov 2018 9,860
7 ‘Small Changes' to Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors for Weight Management Andrew Peter Hills, Nuala Mary Byrne, Rachel C. Lindstrom et al. · Obesity Facts Open access 2013 9,508
8 Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents Mercedes de Onís · Bulletin of the World Health Organization Open access Sep 2007 8,902
9 Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999-2004 Cynthia L. Ogden, Margaret Deutsch Carroll, Lester R. Curtin et al. · JAMA 4 Apr 2006 8,754
10 Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries Robert E. Black, Cesar Gomes Victora, Susan P. Walker et al. · The Lancet 5 Jun 2013 8,670
11 Compendium of Physical Activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities Barbara E. Ainsworth, William L. Haskell, Melicia C. Whitt et al. · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Sep 2000 8,615
12 Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the United States, 2011-2012 Cynthia L. Ogden, Margaret Deutsch Carroll, Brian K. Kit et al. · JAMA Open access 25 Feb 2014 8,151
13 Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity in 195 Countries over 25 Years The GBD 2015 Obesity Collaborators · New England Journal of Medicine Open access 12 Jun 2017 8,109
14 Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence Darren E. R. Warburton · Canadian Medical Association Journal Open access 13 Mar 2006 8,106
15 Physical Activity in the United States Measured by Accelerometer Richard P. Troiano, David A. Berrigan, Kevin Wayne Dodd et al. · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2008 7,824
16 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 Leandra Abarca-Gómez et al. · The Lancet Open access1,040 authors 13 Oct 2017 7,739
17 Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008 Katherine M. Flegal · JAMA 13 Jan 2010 7,642
18 Genetics of Food Intake Self-Regulation in Childhood: Literature Review and Research Opportunities Myles S. Faith, Susan Carnell, Tanja V.E. Kral · Human Heredity Open access 2013 7,618
19 Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2000 Katherine M. Flegal · JAMA 9 Oct 2002 6,221
20 Prevalence of Obesity, Diabetes, and Obesity-Related Health Risk Factors, 2001 Ali H. Mokdad, Earl S. Ford, Barbara A. Bowman et al. · JAMA 2003 5,933
21 Global physical activity levels: surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects Pedro Curi Hallal, Lars Bo Andersen, Fiona Bull et al. · The Lancet Open access Jul 2012 5,885
22 Best Practices for Developing and Validating Scales for Health, Social, and Behavioral Research: A Primer Godfred Odei Boateng, Torsten B. Neilands, Edward A. Frongillo et al. · Frontiers in Public Health Open access 11 Jun 2018 5,774
23 Prevalence of Obesity and Trends in the Distribution of Body Mass Index Among US Adults, 1999-2010 Katherine M. Flegal, Margaret Deutsch Carroll, Brian K. Kit et al. · JAMA 18 Jan 2012 5,424
24 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 Mariachiara Di Cesare · The Lancet Open access Apr 2016 5,317
25 Obesity: global epidemiology and pathogenesis Matthias Blüher · Nature Reviews Endocrinology Review 27 Feb 2019 5,200
26 Assessment of eating disorders: Interview or self‐report questionnaire? Christopher G. Fairburn, Sarah J. Beglin · International Journal of Eating Disorders Dec 1994 5,143
27 Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1·9 million participants Regina Guthold, Gretchen A Stevens, Leanne Margaret Riley et al. · The Lancet Global Health Open access 4 Sep 2018 5,031
28 The Eating Attitudes Test: psychometric features and clinical correlates David Matthew Garner, Marion Patricia Olmsted, Yvonne M. Bohr et al. · Psychological Medicine Nov 1982 5,027
29 The global obesity pandemic: shaped by global drivers and local environments Boyd Anthony Swinburn, Gary Sacks, Kevin D. Hall et al. · The Lancet Open access Aug 2011 4,949
30 Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth Ian Janssen, Allana G. LeBlanc · International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ReviewOpen access 2010 4,885
31 Obesity as a medical problem Peter G Kopelman · Nature Apr 2000 4,838
32 The Disease Burden Associated With Overweight and Obesity Aviva Must · JAMA 27 Oct 1999 4,831
33 The three-factor eating questionnaire to measure dietary restraint, disinhibition and hunger Albert J. Stunkard, Samuel Messick · Journal of Psychosomatic Research 1985 4,737
34 Expert Committee Recommendations Regarding the Prevention, Assessment, and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity: Summary Report Sarah E. Barlow · PEDIATRICS 30 Nov 2007 4,560
35 Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among US Children, Adolescents, and Adults, 1999-2002 Allison Hedley · JAMA 15 Jun 2004 4,492
36 A review of correlates of physical activity of children and adolescents James F. Sallis, Judith J. Prochaska, Wendell C. Taylor · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise May 2000 4,439
37 Predicting Obesity in Young Adulthood from Childhood and Parental Obesity Robert C. Whitaker, Jeffrey A. Wright, MARGARET SULLIVAN PEPE et al. · New England Journal of Medicine Open access 25 Sep 1997 4,434
38 Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries Barry M. Popkin, Linda S. Adair, Shu Wen Ng · Nutrition Reviews Open access 2012 4,371
39 Obesity as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease: a 26-year follow-up of participants in the Framingham Heart Study. Helen B. Hubert, M Feinleib, Patricia McNamara et al. · Circulation Open access May 1983 4,288
40 Evidence Based Physical Activity for School-age Youth William B. Strong, Robert M. Malina, Cameron J.R. Blimkie et al. · The Journal of Pediatrics Jun 2005 4,260
41 Correlates of physical activity: why are some people physically active and others not? Adrian Ernest Bauman, Rodrigo Siqueira Reis, James F. Sallis et al. · The Lancet Jul 2012 4,233
42 Compendium of Physical Activities: classification of energy costs of human physical activities Barbara E. Ainsworth, William L. Haskell, Arthur S. Leon et al. · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 1993 4,140
43 Prevalence and Trends in Overweight Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999-2000 Cynthia L. Ogden · JAMA 9 Oct 2002 4,098
44 Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants Regina Guthold, Gretchen A Stevens, Leanne Margaret Riley et al. · The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health Open access 21 Nov 2019 4,091
45 National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 9·1 million participants Mariel McKenzie Finucane, Gretchen A Stevens, Melanie J. Cowan et al. · The Lancet Open access Feb 2011 4,078
46 WHO Child Growth Standards based on length/height, weight and age Mercedes de Onís · Acta Paediatrica Apr 2006 4,062
47 Association of All-Cause Mortality With Overweight and Obesity Using Standard Body Mass Index Categories Katherine M. Flegal, Brian K. Kit, Heather Orpana et al. · JAMA Open access 2 Jan 2013 4,032
48 Prevalence of Obesity and Trends in Body Mass Index Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999-2010 Cynthia L. Ogden, Margaret Deutsch Carroll, Brian K. Kit et al. · JAMA Open access 18 Jan 2012 3,965
49 Effect of In Utero and Early-Life Conditions on Adult Health and Disease Peter David Gluckman, Mark A. Hanson, Cyrus Cooper et al. · New England Journal of Medicine Open access 2 Jul 2008 3,957
50 Our future: a Lancet commission on adolescent health and wellbeing George Patton et al. · The Lancet Open access 9 May 2016 3,864

Citations are OpenAlex's own counts, from its 2026-09-23 snapshot, so the ranking can differ from Google Scholar or Web of Science. A paper is listed for a field when OpenAlex files it under one of the field's topics; retracted papers and papers whose citation count cannot be traced to citing works are left out, and a preprint and the article it became are shown once. Release dates are OpenAlex's: where a source gave only a month or a year, that is what is shown. How the lists are chosen.