Steven Noel Blair (July 4, 1939 – October 6, 2023)[1] was an American exercise scientist. He has been a tenured professor in the Department of Exercise Science and Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health since 2006. He previously worked at the Dallas, Texas-based Cooper Institute, of which he was president and CEO from 2002 to 2006. He is known for his research on the health benefits of physical exercise.[2][3] A 2005 New York Times article described Blair as "one of the nation's leading experts on the health benefits of exercise".[4]
Steven Blair | |
|---|---|
| Born | Steven Noel Blair July 4, 1939 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Kansas Wesleyan University Indiana University Bloomington |
| Known for | Exercise physiology |
| Spouse |
Jane Marie Pottberg (m. 1965) |
| Children | 2: Ann Blair Kennedy and Max Blair |
| Awards | Population Science Research Prize from the American Heart Association (2008) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Exercise science |
| Institutions | University of South Carolina |
| Thesis | The Effect of Critical and Non-critical Stimuli and Simple and Complex Movements Upon Reaction Time and Movement Time (1968) |
Awards and degrees
editBlair's awards include the American Heart Association's Population Science Research Prize, the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Bloomberg Manulife Prize from McGill University. He was also a fellow of the American Epidemiological Society, the American Heart Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Academy of Kinesiology, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and the Obesity Society. He has served as president of the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education, and the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity. He held three honorary degrees: a Doctor Honoris Causa degree from the Free University of Brussels, a Doctor of Health Science degree from Lander University, and a Doctor of Science Honoris Causa degree from the University of Bristol.[5][6][7]
Funding by the soft drink industry
editIn 2015, Blair came under scrutiny after the New York Times reported that he had received $3.5 million in research grants from the Coca-Cola Company since 2008. $500,000 of this money was used by Blair to help establish the Global Energy Balance Network (GEBN), a non-profit organization which was criticized for attempting to downplay the contribution of soft drink consumption to obesity. The University of South Carolina refused to return the grant, with a university spokesperson saying that the research funded by the grant was "...conducted ethically and within all applicable guidelines".[8] Blair insisted that Coca-Cola had no influence over the GEBN's work or messaging.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Blair, Steven N. 1939-". Contemporary Authors. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Neighmond, Patti (25 April 2011). "Sitting All Day: Worse For You Than You Might Think". NPR. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Foreman, Judy (19 July 2010). "Swimming with the fittest?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Weber, Bruce (21 April 2005). "Losing Patience, Not Weight". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Steven N. Blair CV". University of South Carolina. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "2011 Winner". Manulife Prize. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "About Steven Blair". Health & Kinesiology Distinguished Lecture Series. Texas A&M University. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Shain, Andrew (10 November 2015). "USC not returning Coca-Cola grant for obesity network". The State. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ O'Connor, Anahad (10 August 2015). "Coca-Cola Funds Scientists Who Shift Blame for Obesity Away From Bad Diets". CNBC. Retrieved 30 January 2019.