Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, RDN, LD, CNS, FISBNPA
John P. McGovern Professor in Health Promotion and Austin Regional Dean, Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Director, Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living
[email protected]
Dr. Hoelscher’s research interests include teaching children and their families to engage in healthier dietary and physical activity behaviors to avoid chronic diseases, with an emphasis on addressing health disparities. Her recent work has focused on implementing interventions and evaluations on policy, systems, and environmental changes, especially focused on maternal and child health.
Dr. Hoelscher has received multiple federal and foundation grants, and has over 240 peer-reviewed publications, as well as numerous awards for research, teaching, and mentoring. She is principal investigator of the Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition (Texas SPAN) survey funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services, the STREETS project, a NIH-funded natural experiment to determine the effects of Safe Routes to School policies on child physical activity, the Active Middle School Communities grant funded by NIH, and the Executive Sponsor of the Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies (TCHMB). She is also Director of the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, where she oversees the Texas Research-to-Policy Collaboration project.
In 2018, Dr. Hoelscher became Regional Dean of the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin, which is the largest of the five regional locations for the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. Dr. Hoelscher was President of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) from 2012 to 2013 and elected a Fellow of ISBNPA in 2015. She served as a Member-at-Large for The Obesity Society, and has held leadership positions at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. She is currently serving on the Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee for the 2025-2030 Guidelines.
She has won numerous awards for teaching and research, including the John P. McGovern Professorship in Health Promotion, the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in 2017, and has been designated as a Distinguished Teaching Professor at The University of Texas System. She recently received the Oded Bar-Or award from Pediatric Section of The Obesity Society.
The Gerry Sue and Norman J. Arnold 2019 Childhood Obesity Lecture Series
Arnold School of Public Health at The University of South Carolina
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Deanna Hoelscher
Keynote: "Combating Child Obesity from Population to Policy"
Current Projects
ENRICH (Encouraging Nurturing Responsiveness to Improve Child Health)
ENRICH stands for Encouraging Nurturing Responsiveness to Improve Child Health. This research project works to help parents establish healthy eating, activity, bedtime, and screen time routines.
Lunch is in the Bag
The purpose of this intervention is to encourage parents to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in sack lunches for their preschool children in childcare centers. The goal for this research is the development of new strategies for the promotion of healthy eating practices in children through childcare centers.
STREETS (Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools)
The STREETS Study (Safe TRavel Environment Evaluation in Texas Schools) is a five-year (2018 – 2023) natural experiment that is evaluating the City of Austin Safe Routes to School program.
CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health)
CATCH is a research-based program designed to guide schools, families and children in healthy eating and physical activity.
Texas SNAP-Ed Evaluation
Texas SNAP-Ed Evaluation, is a two-year project to evaluate, on a statewide basis, the effectiveness of SNAP-Ed nutrition education and obesity prevention programming activities delivered by Implementing Agencies throughout the state of Texas.
HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living)
This project is a clinic-community based intervention to implement an early life-cycle approach to obesity prevention among pregnant women and women with infants from low-income families.
Teaching Kitchen Multisite Trial
The Teaching Kitchen Multisite Trial is a pilot study to evaluate a teaching kitchen-based lifestyle intervention as part of a randomized controlled Multisite Trial with adults with clinically defined obesity and one additional metabolic syndrome component.
Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (TX SPAN)
The Texas SPAN survey was established to track the prevalence of overweight and obese school-aged children in Texas.
Texas Child Obesity Research Demonstration (CORD)
This project will connect the dots between families, pediatricians, schools and local youth organizations to develop community capacity for early detection and effective management of obesity using evidence-based programs like CATCH and MEND.
Texas Childhood Obesity Prevention Policy Evaluation (T-COPPE)
This project is a collaborative effort that will study the impact of two recent policies: the Safe Routes to School program and an important rule revision to the federal food allocation package administered by the Texas Women, Infants and Children program.
Recent Publications
Efficacy of various prescribed vitamin D supplementation regimens on 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels in long-term care.
Robbins, R. N., Serra, M., Ranjit, N., Hoelscher, D. M., Sweitzer, S. J., & Briley, M. E. (2022). Public health nutrition, 25(1), 82–89.
School-Level Economic Disparities in Police-Reported Crimes and Active Commuting to School.
Burford, K.; Ganzar, L.A.; Lanza, K.; Kohl, H.W., III; Hoelscher, D.M. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 10885. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010885) PMCID: PMC8535774
Intention to Lose Weight and Use of Electronic Cigarettes Among Adolescents.
(Sanchez, R., Ranjit, N., Kelder, S. H., Gill, M., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2021). Preventive Medicine Reports, 101406.)
Use of School Wellness Policy Templates in One Texas Public Health Region: A Mixed Methods Analysis.
(Szeszulski, J., Walker, T. J., McCurdy, S. A., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2021). Journal of School Health.)
Effects of trees, gardens, and nature trails on heat index and child health: design and methods of the Green Schoolyards Project
(Lanza, K., Alcazar, M., Hoelscher, D.M. et al. BMC Public Health 21, 98 (2021).)
Design and participant characteristics of TX Sprouts: A school-based cluster randomized gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention.
Davis, J., Nikah, K., Asigbee, F. M., Landry, M. J., Vandyousefi, S., et al. (2019). Contemporary clinical trials, 85, 105834.
Foot-based audit of streets adjacent to new light rail stations in Houston, Texas: Measurement of health-related characteristics of the built environment for physical activity research.
Oluyomi, A. O., Knell, G., Durand, C. P., Mercader, C., Salvo, D., Sener, I. N., Gabriel, K. P., Hoelscher, D. M., & Kohl, H. W. (2019). BMC public health, 19(1), 238.
Measures of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index in Hospital Workers: A Multisite Cross-Sectional Study.
John, J., Swartz, M. D., Hoelscher, D., Huber, C., & Sharma, S. (2019). Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 61(5), e176–e182.
The Nourish Program: An innovative model for cooking, gardening and clinical care skill enhancement for dietetics students.
McWhorter, J. W., Raber, M., Sharma, S. V., Moore, L. S., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2019). Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 119(2), 199–203.
Perceived Parental and Peer Social Support Is Associated With Healthier Diets in Adolescents.
Haidar, A., Ranjit, N., Saxton, D., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2019). Journal of nutrition education and behavior, 51(1), 23–31.
Development and use of an index for measuring implementation of a weight management program in children in primary care clinics in Texas.
Salahuddin, M., Barlow, S. E., Pont, S. J., Butte, N. F., et al. (2018). BMC family practice, 19(1), 191.
Effect of media use on adolescent body weight.
Cha, E. M., Hoelscher, D. M., Ranjit, N., Chen, B., Gabriel, K. P., et al. (2018). Preventing chronic disease, 15.
The Nourish Program: An innovative model for cooking, gardening and clinical care skill enhancement for dietetics students
McWhorter, J. W., Raber, M., Sharma, S. V., Moore, L. S., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2019). Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 119(2), 199–203.
Impact of the Coordinated Approach to Child Health Early Childhood Program for Obesity Prevention among Preschool Children: The Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Study
Sharma, S. V., Vandewater, E., Chuang, R. J., Byrd-Williams, C., Kelder, S., et al. (2019). Childhood obesity (Print), 15(1), 1–13.
Improvement in primary care provider self-efficacy and use of patient-centered counseling to address child overweight and obesity after practice-based changes: Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Study
Barlow, S. E., Salahuddin, M., Butte, N. F., Hoelscher, D. M., & Pont, S. J. (2018). Childhood obesity (Print), 14(8), 518–527.
Behavior Modification of Diet and Parent Feeding Practices in a Community- Vs Primary Care-Centered Intervention for Childhood Obesity
Wilson, T. A., Liu, Y., Adolph, A. L., Sacher, P. M., Barlow, S. E., et al. (2019). Journal of nutrition education and behavior, 51(2), 150–161.e1.
Association between parent and child weight status among private school children in Delhi, India
Greene-Cramer, B., Harrell, M. B., Hoelscher, D. M., Sharma, S., Ranjit, N., et al. (2018). Global health promotion, 25(2), 67–74.
Dietary intake, attitudes toward healthy food, and dental pain in low-income youth.
Nicksic, N. E., Massie, A. W., Byrd-Williams, C. E., Kelder, S. H., Sharma, S. V., et al. (2018). JDR clinical and translational research, 3(3), 279–287.
Dietary intake, attitudes toward healthy food, and dental pain in low-income youth
Nicksic, N. E., Massie, A. W., Byrd-Williams, C. E., Kelder, S. H., Sharma, S. V., et al. (2018). JDR clinical and translational research, 3(3), 279–287.
Associations between parent-perceived neighborhood safety and encouragement and child outdoor physical activity among low-income children
Nicksic, N. E., Salahuddin, M., Butte, N. F., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2018). Journal of physical activity & health, 15(5), 317–324.
Pilot Evaluation of HEAL - A Natural Experiment to Promote Obesity Prevention Behaviors Among Low-Income Pregnant Women
Sharma, S. V., Chuang, R. J., Byrd-Williams, C., Danho, M., Upadhyaya, M., et al. (2018). Preventive medicine reports, 10, 254–262.
Perceived weight and bullying victimization in boys and girls
Carey, F. R., Wilkinson, A. V., Ranjit, N., Mandell, D., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2018). The Journal of school health, 88(3), 217–226.
The Effect of Prenatal Maternal Cigarette Smoking on Children's BMI Z-Score With SGA as a Mediator
Salahuddin, M., Pérez, A., Ranjit, N., Hoelscher, D. M., & Kelder, S. H. (2018). International journal of obesity (2005), 42(5), 1008–1018.
Parent packs, child eats: Surprising results of Lunch is in the Bag's efficacy trial
Roberts-Gray, C., Ranjit, N., Sweitzer, S. J., Byrd-Williams, C. E., Romo-Palafox, M. J., et al. (2018). Appetite, 121, 249–262.
Predictors of Severe Obesity in Low-Income, Predominantly Hispanic/Latino Children: The Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Study
Salahuddin, M., Pérez, A., Ranjit, N., Kelder, S. H., Barlow, S. E., et al. (2017). Preventing Chronic Disease, 14, E141.
Best Practices and Barriers to Obesity Prevention in Head Start: Differences Between Director and Teacher Perceptions
Byrd-Williams, C., Dooley, E. E., Sharma, S. V., Chuang, R. J., Butte, N., et al. (2017). Preventing chronic disease, 14.
Best practices and barriers to obesity prevention in Head Start: Baseline differences in director and teacher perceptions from the TX CORD Study
Byrd-Williams, C., Dooley, E. E., Sharma, S. V., Chuang, R. J., Butte, N., et al. (2017). Preventing chronic disease, 14, E139.
Contribution of Beverage Selection to the Dietary Quality of the Packed Lunches Eaten by Preschool-Aged Children
Romo-Palafox, M. J., Ranjit, N., Sweitzer, S. J., Roberts-Gray, C., Byrd-Williams, et al. (2018). Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 118(8), 1417–1424.
Efficacy of a Community- Versus Primary Care-Centered Program for Childhood Obesity: TX CORD RCT
Butte, N. F., Hoelscher, D. M., Barlow, S. E., Pont, S., Durand, C., et al. (2017). Obesity, 25(9), 1584-1593.
Structuring Process Evaluation to Forecast Use and Sustainability of an Intervention: Theory and Data From the Efficacy Trial for Lunch Is in the Bag
Roberts-Gray, C., Sweitzer, S. J., Ranjit, N., Potratz, C., Rood, M., et al. (2017). Health Education & Behavior, 44(4), 559-569.
A Comparison of Sociodemographic Correlates of Cigarette, Alcohol, and Energy Drink Consumption among High School Students in the United States, 2010-2015
Cha, E. M., Ranjit, N., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2017). Journal of Applied Research on Children, 8(2), 1.
Efficacy of a Community- vs. Primary Care-Centered Program for Childhood Obesity: TX CORD RCT
Butte, N. F., Hoelscher, D. M., Barlow, S. E., Pont, S., Durand, C., et al. (2017). Obesity, 25(9), 1584-1593.
The associations of large-for-gestational-age and infant feeding practices with children's body mass index z-score trajectories: the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort
Salahuddin, M., Pérez, A., Ranjit, N., Hoelscher, D. M., & Kelder, S. H. (2017). Clinical obesity, 7(5), 307–315.
Self-reported use of nutrition labels to make food choices is associated with healthier dietary behaviours in adolescents
Haidar, A., Carey, F. R., Ranjit, N., Archer, N., & Hoelscher, D. (2017). Public health nutrition, 20(13), 2329-2339.
Adequacy of Parent-Packed Lunches and Preschooler's Consumption Compared to Dietary Reference Intake Recommendations
Romo-Palafox, M. J., Ranjit, N., Sweitzer, S. J., Roberts-Gray, C., Byrd-Williams, C. E., et al. (2017). Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 36(3), 169-176.
Texas Legislator Survey: Lessons Learned from Interviewing State Politicians about Obesity Policies
Nichols, D., Dowdy, D., Atteberry, H., Menendez, T., & Hoelscher, D. M. (2017). Texas Public Health Journal, 69(2).
Surveillance Systems to Track and Evaluate Obesity Prevention Efforts
Hoelscher, D. M., Ranjit, N., & Pérez, A. (2017). Annual Review of Public Health, 38, 187-214.
Are Hospital Workers Healthy? A Study of Cardiometabolic, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Factors Associated With Obesity Among Hospital Workers
(Sharma SV, Upadhyaya M, Karhade M, Baun WB, Perkison WB, Pompeii LA, Brown HS, Hoelscher DM; J Occup Environ Med.; 2016)
Evaluating the influence of the revised special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC) food allocation package on healthy food availability, accessibility, and affordability in Texas
(Lu W, McKyer EL, Dowdy D, Evans A, Ory M, Hoelscher DM, Wang S, Miao J; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2016)
Efficacy of the Lunch Is in the Bag Intervention to Increase Parents' Packing of Healthy Bag Lunches for Young Children: A Cluster-Randomized Trial in Early Care and Education Centers
(Roberts-Gray C, Briley M, Ranjit N, Byrd-Williams C, Sweitzer SJ, Sharma SV, Romo-Palafox M, Hoelscher DM; International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 2016)
Effects of Funding Allocation for Safe Routes to School Programs on Active Commuting to School and Related Behavioral, Knowledge, and Psychosocial Outcomes: Results From the Texas Childhood Obesity Prevention Policy Evaluation (T-COPPE) Study
(Hoelscher DM, Ory MG, Dowdy D, Miao J, Atteberry H, Nichols D, Evans A, Menendez T, Lee C, & Wang S; Environment & Behavior; 2016)
Effectiveness of the Lunch Is in the Bag Program on Communication Between the Parent, Child and Child-Care Provider Around Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grain Foods: A Group-Randomized Controlled Trial
(Sharma SV, Rashid T, Ranjit N, Byrd-Williams C, Chuang RJ, Roberts-Gray C, Briley M, Sweitzer S, Hoelscher DM; Preventive Medicine; 2015)
Dietary quality of preschooler's sack lunches as measured by the Healthy Eating Index
Romo-Palafox MJ, Ranjit N, Sweitzer SJ, Roberts-Gray C, Hoelscher DM, Byrd-Williams CE, Briley ME; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2015)
Farm to Work: Development of a modified community-supported agriculture model at worksites, 2007-2012
(Thi C, Horton KD, Loyo JJ, Jowers EM, Rodgers LF, Smiley AW, Leversen E, Hoelscher DM; Preventing Chronic Disease; 2015)
The association of trip distance with walking to reach public transit: Data from the California Household Travel Survey
(Durand CP, Tang X, Pettee-Gabrie, K, Sener IN, Oluyomi AO, Knell G, Porter A, Hoelscher DM, Kohl HW; Journal of Transport & Health; 2015)
Development of a method to observe preschoolers' packed lunches in early care and education centers
(Sweitzer SJ, Byrd-Williams CE, Ranjit N, Romo-Palafox MJ, Briley ME, Roberts-Gray CR, Hoelscher DM; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nutrition and Dietetics; 2015)
Effects of the Quest to Lava Mountain Computer Game on Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors of Elementary School Children: A Pilot Group-Randomized Controlled Trial
(Sharma SV, Shegog R, Chow J, Finley C, Pomeroy M, Smith C, Hoelscher DM; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2015)
Measuring the bias, precision, accuracy, and validity of self-reported height and weight in assessing overweight and obesity status among adolescents using a surveillance system
(Pérez A, Gabriel K, Nehme EK, Mandell DJ, Hoelscher DM; International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity; 2015)
The utility of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in systems-oriented obesity intervention projects: the selection of comparable study sites for a quasi-experimental intervention design--TX CORD
(Oluyomi AO, Byars A, Byrd-Williams C, Sharma SV, Durand C, Hoelscher DM, Butte NF, Kelder SH; Child Obesity; 2015)
The association between sports participation and dietary behaviors among fourth graders in the School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey, 2009-2010
(Dortch KS, Gay J, Springer, AE, Kohl, HW, Sharma, SV, Saxton, DL, Hoelscher, DM.; American Journal of Health Promotion, 2014)
Examining How Adding a Booster to a Behavioral Nutrition Intervention Prompts Parents to Pack More Vegetables and Whole Gains in Their Preschool Children's Sack Lunches
(Sweitzer, SJ, Ranjit, N, Calloway, E, Hoelscher, DM, Fawaz, A, Briley, ME, Roberts-Gray, CR; Behavioral Medicine, 2014)
Creating a tipping point: Texas obesity policy actions in review, 2000-2010
(Ory MG, Nichols D, Dickerson JB, Madsen KK, Dowdy D, Menendez T, Hoelscher DM; Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 2013)
Socioeconomic and cultural county-level factors associated with race/ethnic differences in body mass index in 4th grade students in Texas
(Salinas, J, Shah, MS, Gay, JL, Sextonm, K, Nehme, E, Mandell, D, Hoelscher, DM; Journal of Applied Research on Children, 2013)
Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Interventions for the prevention and treatment of pediatric overweight and obesity
(Hoelscher, DM, Kirk, S, Ritchie, L, Cunningham-Sabo, L; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013)
TCOPPE School Environmental Audit Tool: Assessing Safety and Walkability of School Environments
(Lee CD, Ory MG, HyungJin, Dowdy D, Hoelscher DM; Journal of Physical Activity and Health; 2013)
Evaluating Obesity Prevention Efforts: A Plan for Measuring Progress (2013)
8/1/13 - This report from the Institute of Medicine offers a framework that will provide guidance for systematic and routine planning, implementation, and evaluation of the advancement of obesity prevention efforts.
Consumer Nutrition Environments of Hospitals: An exploratory analysis using the hospital nutrition environment scan for cafeterias, vending machines, and gift shops, 2012
(Winston C, Sallis, J, Hoelscher DM, Swartz MD, Peskin M; Preventing Chronic Disease, 2013)
Nutrition-related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Dietary Behaviors Among Head Start Teachers in Texas: A Cross-Sectional Study
(Sharma SV, Byrd-Williams C, Truxillo JB, Rahman GA, Skala K, Hoelscher, DM; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013)
Serum Homocysteine and Folate Concentrations Among a US Cohort of Adolescents Before and After Folic Acid Fortification
(Enquobahrie DA, Feldman HA, Hoelscher DM, Steffen LM, Webber LS, Zive MM, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Osganian SK ; Public Health Nutrition , 2012)
The Quest to Lava Mountain: Using video games for dietary change in children
(Beasley N, Sharma SV, Shegog R, Huber R, Abernathy P, Smith C, Hoelscher DM ; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , 2012)
Exposure to multiple components of a garden-based intervention for middle school students increases fruit and vegetable consumption
(Evans AE, Ranjit N, Rutledge R, Medina J, Jennings R, Smiley A, Stigler MH, Hoelscher DM; Health Promotion Practice, 2012)
Unbundling outcomes of a multilevel intervention to increase fruit, vegetables, and whole grains parents pack for their preschool children in sack lunches
(Briley ME, Ranjit N, Hoelscher DM, Sweitzer SJ, Almansour FD, Roberts-Gray CR ;American Journal of Health Education, 2012)
Introduction of farm stands in low-income communities increases fruit and vegetable consumption among community residents
(Evans AE, Jennings R, Smiley A, Medina J, Sharma SV, Rutledge R, Stigler MH, Hoelscher DM; Journal of Health & Place , 2012)
Environmental characteristics and student physical activity in PE class: Findings from two large urban areas of Texas
(Skala K, Springer AE, Sharma SV, Hoelscher DM, Kelder SH ; Journal of Physical Activity and Health , 2012)
Resource review: Child food insecurity: The economic impact on our nation
(Hoelscher DM, Evans AE ; Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk, 2012)
Using social media to communicate child health information to low-income parents
(Stroever SJ, Mackert MS, McAlister A, Hoelscher DM; Preventing Chronic Disease, 2011)
Psychosocial outcomes of Lunch is in the Bag, a parent program for packing healthful lunches for preschool children
(Sweitzer SJ, Briley ME, Roberts-Grey C, Hoelscher DM, Harrist RB, Staskel DM, Almansour FD; Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2011)
Are adolescents' perceptions of dietary practices associated with their dietary behaviors?
(Velazquez CE, Pasch KE, Ranjit N, Mirchandani G, Hoelscher DM; Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2011)
Temperature of foods sent by parents of preschool-aged children
(Almansour FD, Sweitzer SJ, Magness AA, Calloway ES, McAllaster MR, Roberts-Gray CR, Hoelscher DM, Briley ME.; Pediatrics, 2011)
Physical activity, television viewing, and the risk of obesity in students, Texas
(Perez A, Hoelscher DM, Springer AE, Brown HS, Barroso CS, Kelder SH, Castrucci B ; Preventing Chronic Disease , 2011)
How to help parents pack better preschool sack lunches: Advice from parents for educators
(Sweitzer SJ, Briley ME, Roberts-Grey C, Hoelscher DM, Staskel DM, Almansour FD; Journal of Nutrition Behavior and Education, 2011)
Do trends in physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviors support trends in obesity prevalence in two border regions in Texas?
(Ezendam N, Springer AE, Brug J, Oenema A, Hoelscher DM; Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior , 2011)
From NIH to Texas schools: Policy impact of the Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) program in Texas
(Hoelscher DM, Springer AE, Menendez TH, Cribb PW, Kelder SH ; Journal of Physical Activity and Health , 2011)
Psychosocial factors influencing calcium intake and bone quality in middle-school girls
(Sharma SV, Hoelscher DM, Kelder SH, Diamond PM, Day RS, Hergenroeder A; Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2011)
Reductions in Child Obesity Among Disadvantaged School Children With Community Involvement: The Travis County CATCH Trial
(Hoelscher DM, Springer AE, Ranjit N, Perry CL, Evans AE, Stigler M, Kelder SH; Obesity, 2010)
Recent News
Obesity increases the risk of COVID-19 complications in children, report shows
Experts say the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the nation's pediatric obesity rate. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that obesity in children was a determinant for hospitalization.
Factor Health Links Diverse Partners to Embed Community-based Health Interventions for Children in Travis County
Applying learnings from decades of research on the effects of youth obesity on overall health, Factor Health – an initiative of Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin – is launching its third program, bringing together diverse partners including Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Lone Star Circle of Care to improve the health of pre-adolescent girls in Central Texas.
Deanna M. Hoelscher to provide keynote address at fourth annual Gerry Sue and Norman J. Arnold Childhood Obesity Lecture
The Arnold School of Public Health will host the Gerry Sue and Norman J. Arnold 2019 Childhood Obesity Lecture on Thursday, September 19 from 2 - 5 p.m. The keynote address for the lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be delivered by Deanna M. Hoelscher (Ph.D., R.D.N., L.D., C.N.S., F.I.S.B.N.P.A.) on Combating Child Obesity from Population to Policy.... READ MORE.
UTHealth School of Public Health Announces New Regional Dean of Austin Campus
Dr. Deanna M. Hoelscher, has been named regional dean of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health in Austin, beginning Sept. 1. She will succeed Dr. Cheryl L. Perry, who has been serving as regional dean since the school’s Austin campus was established in 2007.
UTHealth expert participates in international project to tackle adolescent obesity
Child obesity expert, Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, RD, from the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health in Austin was called upon to help lead a groundbreaking project to involve and empower adolescents in the fight against obesity in Europe.
UTHealth faculty members recognized by UT System for teaching excellence
The University of Texas System Board of Regents has awarded its highest honor in recognition of teaching excellence to six exceptional educators at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
Hoelscher named one of Southern Living's "Innovators Changing the South"
There’s a lot of talk about how school lunches and access to healthy food affects kids, but Deanna Hoelscher does more than talk—she puts her findings into action.
