Dr. Beets’ research employs a public health, community-based participatory approach with a focus on identifying real-world and scalable strategies to prevent or reverse obesity and improve children’s overall health. Beets leads the Arnold Childhood Obesity Initiative which focuses on improving the health and well-being of children.
Dr. Weaver's work focuses on helping professionals that teach and care for school age children to create safe and healthy environments. He is currently conducting research in schools and out of school time programs to address unhealthy weight gain in youth. Dr. Weaver has expertise in physical education, promotion of youth healthy eating and physical activity, and measurement of healthy eating and physical activity.
Dr. Armstrong’s research examines the etiology of health behaviors related to pediatric obesity. Her work aims to leverage intensive longitudinal data to examine the predictors and dynamics health behaviors including sleep, screen time, sedentary behavior, and mental health. Based in a socio-ecological perspective, her work spans multiple levels of influence, from environmental, to social/interpersonal and biological.
Dr. Adams' research includes the promotion of healthful dietary patterns to prevent pediatric obesity and reduce health inequities. Her work investigates parenting and family-based influences on behaviors related to child obesity risk (e.g., nutrition, sleep patterns), in order to prevent the intergenerational transmission of obesity. She also conducts investigations on federal nutrition policies (e.g., National School Lunch Program) to ensure children from all income levels have access to healthful nutrition for chronic disease prevention.
Dr. Burkart's research aims to 1) understand the individual, family, social, and environmental factors that contribute to children's sleep health 2) examine underlying mechanisms that lead to inconsistent sleep behavior, and 3) develop and test novel intervention strategies to enhance children's health and well-being. Dr. Burkart completed her postdoctoral training at the University of South Carolina. She earned her MS in Kinesiology, MPH in Epidemiology, and PhD in Kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.