Division of Health Aspects of Physical Activity
The Division of Health Aspects of Physical Activity is comprised of faculty with teaching and research interests that address the following questions:
- How does physical activity impact physical and mental health?
- What is the epidemiology of physical activity, physical inactivity, and associated conditions in diverse populations?
- What are the factors, ranging from individual to environmental and policy levels, that influence physical activity participation in diverse populations of children, adolescents, and adults? and
- What strategies and approaches are most effective in increasing physical activity in diverse populations of children, adolescents, and adults?
The Division of Health Aspects of Physical Activity faculty members are:
Michael Beets, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Dr. Beet's research focuses on the promotion of physical activity and dietary behaviors in youth as well as family and socio-ecological influences on children (5-12yrs) with disabilities. He uses statistical modeling to evaluate intervention outcomes.
Steven Blair, P.E.D.
Dr. Blair's research focuses on the associations between lifestyle and health, with a specific emphasis on exercise, physical fitness, body composition, and chronic disease.
Steven Hooker, PhD
Dr. Hooker is Director of the USC Prevention Research Center and engaged in community-participatory research to determine effective environmental and policy approaches to promoting physical activity. His research also focuses on developing interventions to increase physical activity in diverse older adult populations.
Russell Pate, PhD
Dr. Pate’s research focuses on physical activity in youth. Areas of particular interest include measurement of physical activity, the determinants of physical activity, and the promotion of physical activity in children and adolescents.
Sara Wilcox, PhD
Dr. Wilcox is a clinical psychologist with postdoctoral training in cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention. Her research is focused on understanding the factors that influence physical activity in older adults, women, and African Americans. Her research also emphasizes community-based approaches to increasing physical activity in these populations.
Shawn Youngstedt, PhD
Dr. Youngstedt's research focuses on sleep, circadian rhythms, and the influence of exercise and bright light on mental health.