Research Abstract

My program of research has focused on primary prevention of obesity and cardiometabolic risk in children, adolescents and families from diverse populations. I have conducted interdisciplinary, epidemiological/observational studies of biobehavioral risk factors for cardiovascular/cardiometabolic conditions in multi-generational familes. Central to this research is the development of healthy lifestyle behaviors that cross-cut chronic conditions (i.e., smoke free lifestyle, healthy patterns of dietary intake and physical activity) and multicomponent interventions designed to modify unhealthy behaviors. Recent ongoing research, funded by the U56 DF/HCC-UMass Boston Comprehensive Cancer Partnership, focuses on health behaviors in families with lung cancer. The ultimate goal of this collaborative, interdisciplinary work is to develop a family-focused health promotion program for families with or at-risk for cancer. A second ongoing study, funded by UMass Boston and the Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center, focuses on examining the effects of technology-mediated exergaming on moderate or vigorous physical activity, indices of adiposity, and biobehavioral risk factors for cardiometabolic disease in vulnerable, urban middle school children . Subclinical measures of atherosclerosis are being examined in a sub-group of participants. The longer term goal is to extend this mixed-methods study to several schools in the BPS system.