Publications

Via ARIS system
Via OrcID
Via Google Scholar
Via Research Gate

Education

PhD, Walden University, 2017
MS, Mississippi Valley State University, 2002
BS, Mississippi Valley State University, 1999

Professional Positions

2020-present, Research Epidemiologist, USDA ARS, Southeast Area Office, Delta Human Nutrition Research Program, Stoneville MS

2017-2020, Director, Delta Health Collaborative, Mississippi State Department of Health, Greenwood MS

2011-2017, Bureau Director, Delta Health Collaborative, Mississippi State Department of Health, Greenwood MS

2010-2011, Special Project Officer, Division of Dental Services, Mississippi State Department of Health, Greenwood MS

2006-2010, Program Manager, Westat, Rockville MD

1999-2006, Laboratory Technician, USDA ARS, Southeast Area, Catfish Genetics Research Unit, Stoneville MS

Research Accomplishments

Adolescent and Adult Perceptions of Their Diet Quality

Diet quality is improving in some US populations and awareness of recommendations for healthful eating may be increasing. Yet whether US adolescents and adults can accurately assess their diet quality is not clear. My colleagues and I analyzed data from nationally representative samples of US adolescents (16-19 years of age) and adults (20+ years of age) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015-2018.

We determined that only 12% of adolescents and 15% of adults can accurately assess the quality of their diet, mostly those who perceived the healthfulness of their diet as poor. Additionally, almost all adolescents and adults who inaccurately assessed their diet quality, overrated their diet quality, sometimes to a substantial degree. Although diet quality scores increased as adolescents’ and adults’ perception of the healthfulness of their diet increased, approximately 85% of adolescents and 70% of adults scored failing grades for measured diet quality. Thus, the tendency of adolescents and adults to overrate the healthfulness of their diet suggests that work is needed to educate US adolescents and adults about components of healthful dietary intake.

Patterns of Physical Activity and Screen Time Parenting Practices

Parents can influence their children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviors through the practices they use to support, encourage, and promote engagement in physical activity as well as to limit screen. Effects of physical activity and screen time parenting practices are important because US adolescents typically do not meet recommendations for physical activity and exceed recommendations for screen time. My colleagues and I analyzed data from over 1,100 parent-adolescent dyads who participated in the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating Study and identified 4 patterns of parenting practices regarding physical activity and 5 patterns regarding screen time. For physical activity, patterns ranged from use of all 5 parenting practices, use of some practices, to no practice use and parent and adolescent reports were generally in agreement. Similarly, for screen time, patterns ranged from use of

Photo courtesy of Juan Cruz via Unsplash.com.

all 6 parenting practices, use of some practices, to no practice use and parent and adolescent reports were generally in agreement for all but one of the patterns. Additionally, physical activity patterns were associated with adolescent age, and parent and adolescent body mass index, physical activity, and legitimacy of parental authority (belief that parents have the right to set rules about their children's behavior). Screen time patterns were associated with adolescent age, sex, body mass index, and sedentary behaviors and parent and adolescent legitimacy of parental authority. Advocating for parental use of combinations of physical activity and screen time parenting practices, such as modeling and monitoring, may prove more beneficial to adolescent health behaviors than use of pressuring and permissive practices or no practice use.

Service, Leadership & Professional Activities

American Society for Nutrition, Member, 2021-present
USDA ARS Project Sync Succession Team, Member, 2021-present
Postdoc Advisory Council, Southeast Area Representative, 2020-present
American Association for the Advancement of Science, Member, 2020-present
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Reviewer, 2020-present
Society for Epidemiologic Research, Member, 2014-2015
Mississippi Public Health Association, Member, 2012-2021
American Public Health Association, Member, 2009-2020

Honors, Awards, Achievement & Recognition

National Society for Leadership and Success, 2019
Emerging Leader in Environmental Public Health, CDC/NEHA/ATSDR, 2003
President Scholar, MVSU Natural Sciences & Environmental Health Department, 2002
Honor Scholar, MVSU Natural Sciences & Environmental Health Department, 1999