Alexandra van den Berg

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About

Dr. Alexandra (Sandra) van den Berg (formerly Evans) is a professor of Behavioral Science and Health Promotion at the UTHealth School of Public Health at the Austin Campus as well as the Associate Director of the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living. She is a researcher with over 20 years of experience in the development and evaluation of large behavioral and environmental interventions addressing health disparities associated with dietary behaviors and weight status in low income, ethnically diverse families living in underserved communities. She is currently leading the evaluation of the federally-funded FRESH-Austin study, in which she and her team are measuring the impact of a local food access initiative (Fresh for Less) on residents’ purchasing and dietary behaviors. In a 5-year NIH study (R01 HL123865 - PI: Davis; PI of subcontract: van den Berg), the research team is assessing the impact of a community-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention to improve dietary intake and reduce obesity and related metabolic disorders in predominately Hispanic children and their families living in low-income, rural, food desert communities using a randomized control trial (RCT) study design. Dr. van den Berg was also the PI for a 6-year study in which her team measured the impact of a large place-based initiative (Go Austin!/Vamos Austin! or GAVA) to increase access to healthful foods and physical activity opportunities in two low-income, mostly Hispanic communities on physical activity and eating behaviors among community residents (2013-2019). In addition to her research, she was also the vice-chair of the Austin/Travis County Food Policy Board until a few months ago and co-led 2 Food Policy Board working groups: Food systems and Climate and Food Access.

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Center Affiliation

Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living

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Research Interests

• Community Health Practice
• Health Education/Behavioral Sciences
• Health Equity
• Physical Activity and Nutrition
• Program Evaluation
• Social Determinants of Health