About this course: Systems science has been instrumental in breaking new scientific ground in diverse fields such as meteorology, engineering and decision analysis. However, it is just beginning to impact public health. This seminar is designed to introduce students to basic tools of theory building and data analysis in systems science and to apply those tools to better understand the obesity epidemic in human populations. There will also be a lab in which students will use a simple demonstration model of food acquisition behavior using agent-based modeling on standard (free) software (netlogo). The central organizing idea of the course is to examine the obesity epidemic at a population level as an emergent properties of complex, nested systems, with attention to feedback processes, multilevel interactions, and the phenomenon of emergence. While the emphasis will be on obesity, the goal will be to explore ways in which the systems approach can be applied to other non-communicable diseases both nationally and internationally. Topics will include: a) the epidemiology of obesity across time and place, b) theories to explain population obesity, c) the role of environments and economic resources in obesity c) basic concepts and tools of systems science, d) modeling energy-balance related behaviors in context, e) agent-based models, systems dynamic models, and social network models
Taught by: Jessica Jones-Smith, Assistant Professor
Human Nutrition
Taught by: Rahmatollah Beheshti, Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Civil Engineering
Taught by: Daniel Taber, Assistant Professor
School of Public Health (UT Health)
Taught by: Kayla de la Haye, Assistant Professor of Preventative Medicine
Keck School of Medicine (USC)
Taught by: Thomas Glass, Professor
Epidemiology
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 课程时长为4周，每周2-3小时 |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
- Video: Obesity, The Facts of the Case (Or Why Obesity Pushes Our Buttons) - Tom Glass
- Video: Beyond the Usual Suspect: Why This Case Is Hard To Crack
- Video: Explanations: The Food Supply, A System of Interest
- Video: Obesity in Human Populations Through a Systems Science Lens - Tom Glass
- Video: Taking a Systems Perspective: 5 Key Features
- Video: What is so "Systemy" About Obesity?
- Video: Nuts and Bolts of System Dynamics Models
- Video: Developing a Stock and Flow Model
- Video: Policy Resistance
- Video: Coding tutorial for systems dynamics model
- Video: From stock and flow diagram to developing a SD model in Vensim
- Reading: Important: Models for Lab Assessment
- Video: Social Network Analysis
- Video: Obesity & Social Networks
- Video: Neighborhoods and Noshing: Foraging and the Food Environment
- Video: Why Should We Care About Neighborhoods for a Systems Science of Obesity
- Video: Foraging Theory: A Unifying Framework?
- Video: Lecture 6: What's price (and income) got to do with it?
- Video: Less money, more problems?
- Video: Taxman: Can Price Manipulations Be Used to Promote Healthful Eating
- Video: Why agent-based modeling?
- Video: Development of a Simple Model with Environment, Peer Networks, and Agent Behaviors
- Video: Food Foraging ABM:Embedded in a GIS-Based Environment
- Video: Lab 2 Part 1: Tutorial on building ABMs in Netlogo environment
- Video: Lab 2 Part 2: ABM for Food Store; Food Foraging ABM
- Video: Lab 2 Part 3: Income-Diet model example with extensions
- Reading: Important: Models For Lab Assessment 2
- Video: Congratulations!
- Reading: Learn more about the Global Obesity Prevention Center
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The approaches to understand obesity in this course are really interesting and I enjoyed them. Obesity is such a complex problem and it was nice to learn from it with different softwares and a lot of different approaches.
LM
I am an electrical engineer who worked for a few years as a system's engineer. Lately I have been interested in studying how the dynamics in working environment affects itself. When I saw the System Science and Obesity course at Coursera I had the feeling it would present me some social concepts and tools which would give me a starting point. I had the feeling the knowledge the course offered would go beyond health systems. After finishing the course, I am really happy to conclude I was right. I am also really greatful to Johns hopkins professors who made this excellent course available. Thank you all!