Nutrition Sciences Directory

I am a professor and registered dietitian in the Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Cincinnati (UC) Medical Center and have over 20 years of experience in performing observational and randomized controlled trials related to dietary approaches to manage cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in youth.  My training has included extensive work in dietary intervention development and dietary assessment at Columbia University, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and presently at UC.  I have worked on several studies developing instruments to assess the home food environment as a potential modifiable risk factor related to childhood obesity and CVD risk. For example, I participated as co-investigator on the Neighborhood Impact on Kids study (NIH R01 ES014240) to examine the relationship between the neighborhood social and physical environment on child weight status, a major risk factor for CVD.  I also recently completed a randomized clinical trial (NIH R01 HL088567-01) to examine the effects of a dietary pattern emphasizing fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy and lean protein on reducing blood pressure in adolescents with pre-hypertension and hypertension.  The DASH-4-teens intervention that I developed for this trial was designed to be administered by telephone to adolescents, and has been successfully implemented in a clinic-based setting.  Results from this study support beneficial effects of this behavioral nutrition intervention on blood pressure and vascular function.  In additional to reseach, I teach graduate classes in macronutrient metabolism, clinical nutrition and nutrition across the lifespan.