Center for Family and Demographic Research

Robert Carels 
rcarels@bgsu.edu
(419) 372-9405
Curriculum Vitae 

Associate Professor of Psychology

Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1996

Dr. Carels’ two primary research interests are weight loss and physical activity interventions and cardiovascular health. He is interested in developing more effective weight loss and physical activity interventions for individuals that are overweight and/or sedentary. The goal of these interventions is to help individuals reduce cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, physical inactivity, and high blood pressure and cholesterol. He also examines factors that impede or facilitate maintaining lifestyle changes. Currently, he is examining a stepped-care approach to weight loss. Finally, he is interested in how psychosocial factors influence blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia.

Recent Publications:

Burmeister, J.M., Hinman, N., Koball, A., Hoffmann, D.A., & Carels, R.A. (Forthcoming). Food addiction in adults seeking weight loss treatment: Implications for psychosocial health and weight loss. Appetite.

Carels, RA, Young, KM, Hinman, N, Gumble, A, Koball, A, Wagner Oehlhof, M, & Darby L. (Forthcoming.) Stepped-care in obesity treatment: matching treatment intensity to participant performance, Eating Behaviors.

Carels, RA, Burmeister, J, Oehlhof, MW, Hinman, N, LeRoy, M, Bannon, E, Koball, A, & Ashrafloun, L. (Forthcoming). Internalized weight bias: Ratings of the self, normal weight, and obese individuals and psychological maladjustment. Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

Domoff, S. E., Hinman, N., Koball, A., Storfer-Isser, A., Carhart, V. L., Baik, K. D. & Carels, RA. (2012). Reality television and weight bias: An examination of The Biggest Loser? Obesity, 20(5), 993-998.

Gumble, A & Carels, RA. (2012). The harmful and beneficial impacts of weight bias on well-being: The moderating influence of weight status. Body Image, 9(1), 101-107.

Carels, RA, Hinman, N. Koball, A, Oehlhof, MW, Gumble, A, & Young, KM. (2011). The self protective nature of implicit identity and its relationship to weight bias and short-term weight loss, Obesity Facts, 4(4), 278-283.

Coy, B, O’Brien, WH, Tabaczynski, T, Northern, J, & Carels, RA (2011). Associations between evaluation anxiety, cognitive interference and performance on working memory tasks. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25, 823-832.

Koball, A & Carels, RA (2011) Coping as a mediator in the relationship between weight stigma and depression, Eating and Weight Disorders, 16(1), 17-23.

Carels, RA, Young, KM, Koball, A, Gumble, A, Darby, LA Wagner Oehlhof, M, Wott, C, & Hinman, N (2010) Transforming your life: An environmental modification approach to weight loss. Journal of Health Psychology, 16(3) 430–438.

Carels, RA, Wott, CB, Young, KM, Gumble, A, Koball, A, & Oehlhof, MW. (2010) Implicit, explicit, and internalized weight bias and psychosocial maladjustment among treatment-seeking adults. Eating Behaviors, 11, 180-185.

Carels, RA, & Musher-Eizenman, D. (2010) Individual differences and weight bias: Do people with an anti-fat bias have a pro-thin bias? Binge Eating, 7, 143-148.

Carels, R. A. & Musher-Eizenman, D. R. (2010). Individual differences and weight bias: Do people with an anti-fat bias have a pro-thin bias? Body Image, 7(2), 143-148.

Berger, BG, Darby, LA, Owen, DR, & Carels, RA. (2010). Implications of a behavioral weight loss program for obese, sedentary women: A focus on mood enhancement and exercise enjoyment. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 8(1), 10-23.

Carels RA, Young KM, Wott, C, Harper, J, Gumble, A, Wagner Hobbs, M, & Clayton, A. (2009). Internalized Weight Stigma and its Ideological Correlates among Weight Loss Treatment Seeking Adults. Eating and Weight Disorders, 14, 92-97.

Wott, CB, & Carels, RA, Overt Weight Stigma, (2009) Psychological distress and weight loss treatment outcomes. Journal of Health Psychology, 15, 608-614.

Musher-Eizenman,D. & Carels RA. (2009) The impact of target weight and gender on perceptions of likeability, personality attributes, and functional impairment. Obesity Facts, 2, 311-317.

Carels, RA, Young, K, Wott, CB, Harper, J, Gumble, A, Oehlof, MW, & Clayton, AM. (2009). Weight bias and weight loss treatment outcomes in treatment-seeking adults. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37(3), 350-355.

Carels, RA, Young, K, Wott, CB, Harper, J, Gumble, A, Oehlof, MW, & Clayton, AM. (2009). Successful Weight Loss with Minimal Assistance: A Stepped-Care Approach. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 32(6), 503-591.