Christina Economos

Biographic Data

ID	6059674
NAME	Christina Economos
GIVEN NAMES	Christina
FAMILY NAME	Economos
SIGNATURE	ECONOMOS C
AFFILIATIONS	Tufts University
ORCID	0000-0002-0410-5294
VERIFIED	Yes
TOTAL WORKS	51
TOTAL CITATIONS	75
AUTHOR COUNT	51
EDITOR COUNT	0
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR	2007
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR	2026
H-INDEX	4

Point-of-sale sugar-sweetened beverage warning posters v . control posters were associated with reductions in school store sugar-sweetened beverage purchases made by Guatemalan adolescents
Open AccessVioleta Chacón, Joaquín Barnoya et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2026
Objective: We examined whether point-of-sale warning posters, compared with control posters, reduced Guatemalan adolescents’ purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) at school stores. Design: We used a difference-in-differences approach (4-week baseline and 4-week treatment). Our primary analysis compared two schools assigned to an intervention warning poster to one school that displayed a control poster. Based on purchase transaction data, t…
Identifying Synergistic Mechanisms of Community-Led Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change for Childhood Obesity Prevention in the Multi-Site Catalyzing Communities Initiative
Open AccessTravis R Moore, Yuilyn A Chang Chusan et al.ARTICLEJournal of Urban Health2026References: 1
This evaluation reports how the Catalyzing Communities Initiative, a whole-of-community, multi-site intervention, supported equity-focused policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes to prevent childhood obesity in three U.S. communities from 2023 to 2024. We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation using survey data from 35 committee members (multisector representatives selected by local health-promotion leaders) and interviews with 29 committe…
Scoring adherence to voluntary restriction diets (SAVoReD) in the Adapt study
Open AccessSuzannah Gerber, Paul F Jacques et al.ARTICLEAppetite2025References: 81
Voluntary adoption of popular food-group-restricting diets like Paleo and plant-based diets (PBDs) are often health-motivated. However, unlike the theoretical design of these diets, different levels of dietary adherence may result in different diet quality and bodyweight in real-world settings-a limitation to the efficacy of dietary interventions. Scoring Adherence to Voluntary Restriction Diets (SAVoReD) is a metric to quantify and compare adher…
Amplifying Lived Expertise on “Food Is Medicine” in the Mississippi Delta’s Legacy of Racism
Vanessa Nicholson-Robinson, Danielle M Krobath et al.ARTICLEAmerican Journal of Public Health2025References: 25
For generations, Mississippi Delta residents have been subjected to food inequity and resource deprivation from centuries of racism. The Food Is Medicine (FIM) movement is gaining salience as one solution to address diet-related health conditions in partnership with health care providers, medical systems, and local agriculture groups. The Delta GREENS (Growing a Resilient, Enriching, Equitable, Nourishing food System) FIM research study conducted…
Applying Community-based System Dynamics to promote child health equity
Open AccessYvonne Greer, Yvonne D Greer et al.ARTICLEFrontiers in Public Health2024
Background: Child health equity is influenced by complex systemic factors, including structural racism, socioeconomic disparities, and access to resources. Traditional public health interventions often target individual behaviors, but there is a growing need for systems approaches that address these root causes. This study examines coalition members' perspectives on promoting child health equity in Milwaukee as a result of participating in an int…
Feasibility and Acceptability of Standardizing Portions in Restaurants
Open AccessDeborah A Cohen, Melissa Preciado et al.ARTICLEJournal of Urban Health2024
The longitudinal association between caregivers' perceived competence and autonomy and children's dietary consumption before and 10 months into the Covid-19 pandemic
Open AccessVioleta Chacón, Mei Chung et al.ARTICLEAppetite2024References: 55
The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful, potentially affecting caregivers' feeding choices. Caregivers play a role in shaping children's diets, yet few studies have explored how their competence and autonomy, defined by the Self-Determination Theory, impact children's diets. We examined the relationship between caregivers' autonomy and competence and their feeding practices before and during the first year of the pandemic. A national convenience…
The Influence of Contested Racial Identity and Perceived Everyday Discrimination Exposure on Body Mass Index in US Adults
Open AccessDanielle M Krobath, Adolfo G Cuevas et al.ARTICLEJournal of Racial and Ethnic…2024Cited by: 1References: 55
Implementing a stakeholder-driven community diffusion-informed intervention to create healthier, more equitable systems
Open AccessLarissa Calancie, Melissa L Fair et al.ARTICLEFrontiers in Public Health2023
This case study describes the application of a theory-informed, stakeholder-driven intervention with a group of 19 multi-sector stakeholders from an existing coalition to promote whole-of-community change that supports childhood obesity prevention. The intervention applied community-based system dynamics to design and implement activities that promoted insights into the systems driving childhood obesity prevalence and helped participants prioriti…
Results from “Live Well”, a randomized controlled community-based participatory intervention to prevent obesity in new immigrant mother–child dyads
Open AccessChristina D Economos, Christina Economos et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2023
Findings from Live Well demonstrate the viability of utilizing a CBPR approach to address overweight and obesity among immigrant mothers. Given the higher-than-expected prevalence of overweight and obesity among mother-child dyads by ~ 6 years of U.S. residency, and lower maternal participation rates in the intervention, additional research is necessary to identify the optimal intervention length, retention strategies, and approach to jointly sup…
Community coalition efforts to prevent childhood obesity
Open AccessChristina D Economos, Christina Economos et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2023
SUU5 had positive effects on "upstream" drivers of early childhood obesity by increasing knowledge and engagement. These changes partially diffused through networks and may have changed "midstream" community policies, systems, and environments
The impact of a community social marketing campaign on children’s meal orders and consumption
Open AccessErin Hennessy, Eleanor B Tate et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2023
Objective: Restaurants may be important settings for interventions to reduce children’s energy intake. The objective of this study was to test the impact of a parent-focused social marketing campaign to promote healthy children’s meals on calories ordered and consumed by children at quick-service restaurants (QSR). Design: Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, two urban communities were randomised to intervention (IN) v . control (C) con…
Improving school lunch menus with multi-objective optimisation
Open AccessAlexandra L Stern, Stephen Levine et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2023
Objective: To support school foods programmes by evaluating the relationship between nutritional quality, cost, student consumption and the environmental impacts of menus. Design: Using linear programming and data from previously served menu items, the relationships between the nutritional quality, cost, student consumption and the environmental impacts of lunch menus were investigated. Optimised lunch menus with the maximum potential student con…
Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with variations in daily routines in elementary schoolchildren during the Covid-19 pandemic in Chile
Open AccessGabriela Fretes, Carlos Corvalán et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2023
Objective: To assess the association between child ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and home-school learning environment characteristics during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic in schoolchildren with low- and middle income in Chile. Design: Cross-sectional. UPF consumption was collected using the Nova screener. We apply the structured days hypothesis (SDH) to assess home-school learning environment characteristics with three con…
Tracing coalition changes in knowledge in and engagement with childhood obesity prevention to improve intervention implementation
Open AccessTravis R Moore, Mark C Pachucki et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2022
The trends in coalition Network A and B's coevolution models may point to context-specific features (e.g., ties among stakeholders) that can be leveraged for better intervention implementation. To that end, examining tie density, average path length, network diameter, and the dynamics of each behavior outcome (i.e., knowledge in and engagement with childhood obesity prevention) may help tailor whole-of-community interventions. Future research sho…
Integrating Complex Systems Methods to Advance Obesity Prevention Intervention Research
Open AccessErin Hennessy, Christina D Economos et al.ARTICLEHealth Education & Behavior2020
Background. Whole-of-community interventions have been recommended and show promise for preventing obesity; however, research to understand the mechanisms underlying their success or failure is lacking. Complex systems approaches may be useful to address this gap. Purpose. To describe the evolution and utilization of qualitative and quantitative complex systems methods to understand and model whole-of-community obesity prevention interventions. A…
Participant characteristics and self-reported weight status in a cross-sectional pilot survey of self-identified followers of popular diets
Open AccessMicaela C Karlsen, Alice H Lichtenstein et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2020
Objective: To describe characteristics of self-identified popular diet followers and compare mean BMI across these diets, stratified by time following diet. Design: Cross-sectional, web-based survey administered in 2015. Setting: Non-localised, international survey. Participants: Self-selected followers of popular diets ( n 9019) were recruited to the survey via social media and email announcements by diet community leaders, categorised into eigh…
Role of social ecological model level on young Pacific children’s sugar-sweetened beverage and water intakes
Open AccessAriella R Korn, J Butel et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2020
Objective: To examine children’s sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and water intakes in relation to implemented intervention activities across the social ecological model (SEM) during a multilevel community trial. Design: Children’s Healthy Living was a multilevel, multicomponent community trial that reduced young child obesity (2013–2015). Baseline and 24-month cross-sectional data were analysed from nine intervention arm communities. Implemented i…
Longitudinal Analysis of Psychosocial Stressors and Body Mass Index in Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the United States
Open AccessAdolfo G Cuevas, Siobhan Greatorex-Voith et al.ARTICLEThe Journals of Gerontology…2020Cited by: 2References: 6
Different sources of stress may be risk factors to weight gain and affect BMI in adults. White and female adults may be more susceptible to the obesogenic effects of stressors. Reducing exposure to stress may help reduce the burden of high BMI among middle-aged and older adults
The FLEX study school-based physical activity programs – measurement and evaluation of implementation
Open AccessCatherine Wright, Virginia R Chomitz et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2019
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02810834 . Registered May 11, 2015
Availability of Healthier Children’s Menu Items in the Top Selling Quick Service Restaurant Chains (2004–2015)
Megan P Mueller, Parke Wilde et al.ARTICLEAmerican Journal of Public Health2019Cited by: 1References: 7
Objectives. To describe time trends in the availability of healthier children’s menu items in the top selling quick service restaurant (QSR) chains. Methods. We used Technomic Inc.’s MenuMonitor to construct a data set of side and beverage items available on children’s menus from 2004 to 2015 at 20 QSR chains in the United States. We evaluated the significance of time trends in the average availability of healthier fruit and nonfried vegetable si…
Novel patterns of physical activity in a large sample of preschool-aged children
Open AccessRachel Ruiz, Rachel M Ruiz et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2018
NCT01316653 , date of registration: March 3, 2011; NCT01606891, date of registration: May 23, 2012
Investigating best practices of district-wide physical activity programmatic efforts in US schools– a mixed-methods approach
Open AccessChristina D Economos, Christina Economos et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2018
These findings demonstrate the success of school districts across the nation in providing ample opportunities for physical activity despite considerable variability in socioeconomic status and resources. These results can inform future research and provide actionable evidence for school districts to enhance physical activity opportunities to students
Development and testing of a novel survey to assess Stakeholder-driven Community Diffusion of childhood obesity prevention efforts
Open AccessAriella R Korn, Erin Hennessy et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2018
The survey measures upstream stakeholder properties-social networks, knowledge, and engagement-with good test-retest reliability. Future research related to Stakeholder-driven Community Diffusion should focus on prospective change and survey validation for intervention effectiveness
Recruitment of New Immigrants Into a Randomized Controlled Prevention Trial
Open AccessNesly Metayer, Rebecca Boulos et al.ARTICLEThe Journal of Primary Prevention2018

A Community Intervention Reduces BMI z ‐score in Children
Open AccessChristina D Economos, Christina Economos et al.ARTICLEObesity2007
Objective: The objective was to test the hypothesis that a community‐based environmental change intervention could prevent weight gain in young children (7.6 ± 1.0 years). Research Methods and Procedures: A non‐randomized controlled trial was conducted in three culturally diverse urban cities in Massachusetts. Somerville was the intervention community; two socio‐demographically‐matched cities were control communities. Children ( n = 1178) in grad…
Active play and screen time in US children aged 4 to 11 years in relation to sociodemographic and weight status characteristics
Open AccessSarah Anderson, Sarah E Anderson et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2008
Many young children in the US are reported to have physical activity and screen time behaviors that are inconsistent with recommendations for healthy pediatric development. Children who are overweight, approaching adolescence, girls, and non-Hispanic blacks may benefit most from public health policies and programs aimed at these behaviors
College Freshman Stress and Weight Change
Christina EconomosARTICLEAmerican Journal of Health Behavior2008
Validity and reliability of a calcium checklist in early elementary-school children
Open AccessLori Marcotte, Erin Hennessy et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2008
Objective To create, validate and assess the reliability of a checklist to measure calcium intake in children. Design Calcium intakes from a checklist and parent-assisted 24-h dietary recall were compared. Checklist reliability was assessed separately. Setting After-school programmes in the United States. Subjects Forty-two children (18 males, 24 females, age = 8.0 ± 0.9 years) participated in the validation analysis and 49 children (28 males, 21…
Behavioral and Social Influences on Food Choice
Marion Nestle, Rena R Wing et al.ARTICLENutrition Reviews2009
Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, Rena Wing, PhD, Leann Birch, PhD, Lorelei DiSogra, PhD, Adam Drewnowski, PhD, Suzette Middleton, PhD, Madeleine Sigman-Grant, PhD, Jeff
Parent behavior and child weight status among a diverse group of underserved rural families
Open AccessErin Hennessy, Sheryl O Hughes et al.ARTICLEAppetite2010Cited by: 33References: 43
Immigrating to the US
Open AccessAntonio Tovar, Aviva Must et al.ARTICLEJournal of Immigrant and Minority…2012
Vitamin D intake and serum vitamin D in ethnically diverse urban schoolchildren
Open AccessLauren E Au, Christina D Economos et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2012
Objective Low serum vitamin D, which largely affects ethnic minorities, is associated with obesity and other chronic diseases. Little is known about racial/ethnic differences in intake, particularly in children, or if any differences are associated with differences in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). The objective of the present study was to determine whether racial/ethnic differences in dietary vitamin D intake exist and whether they explain…
Development of the Live Well Curriculum for Recent Immigrants
Antonio Tovar, Emily Kuross Vikre et al.ARTICLEProgress in community health…2012Cited by: 3References: 2
The commitment to partnership resulted in a curriculum to empower immigrant women to improve health decisions and behaviors. This will inform future research and programming targeting other at-risk and new immigrant communities
Caregiver’s Feeding Styles Questionnaire. Establishing cutoff points
Open AccessSheryl O Hughes, Matthew B Cross et al.ARTICLEAppetite2012Cited by: 16References: 14
Baseline Socio-demographic Characteristics and Self-Reported Diet and Physical Activity Shifts Among Recent Immigrants Participating in the Randomized Controlled Lifestyle Intervention
Open AccessAntonio Tovar, Rebecca Boulos et al.ARTICLEJournal of Immigrant and Minority…2013
Whole grain consumption is inversely associated with BMI Z -score in rural school-aged children
Open AccessSilvina F Choumenkovitch, Nicola M McKeown et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2013
Objective To examine the relationship between intake of whole grains and BMI Z -score in rural children. Design General linear models and logistic regression were used to examine the cross-sectional associations between whole grain intake and BMI Z -score, prevalence and odds ratios of overweight and obesity. Dietary intake was assessed using the Block Food Screener for ages 2–17 years. Children were classified into three categories according to …
Developing a Research Agenda for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in High-Risk Rural Communities
Cathy L Melvin, Giselle Corbie-Smith et al.ARTICLEAmerican Journal of Public Health2013Cited by: 1References: 35
The National Institutes of Health convened a workshop to engage researchers and practitioners in dialogue on research issues viewed as either unique or of particular relevance to rural areas, key content areas needed to inform policy and practice in rural settings, and ways rural contexts may influence study design, implementation, assessment of outcomes, and dissemination. Our purpose was to develop a research agenda to address the disproportion…
Children's perceptions of weight, obesity, nutrition, physical activity and related health and socio-behavioural factors
Open AccessChristina D Economos, Christina Economos et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2014
Objective Approximately one-third of children in the USA are either overweight or obese. Understanding the perceptions of children is an important factor in reversing this trend. Design An online survey was conducted with children to capture their perceptions of weight, overweight, nutrition, physical activity and related socio-behavioural factors. Setting Within the USA. Subjects US children ( n 1224) aged 8–18 years. Results Twenty-seven per ce…
It’s just so much waste.’ A qualitative investigation of food waste in a universal free School Breakfast Program
Open AccessStacy A Blondin, Stacy Blondin et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2015
Objective To understand stakeholders’ perspectives on food waste in a universal free School Breakfast Program implementing a Breakfast in the Classroom model. Design Semi-structured focus groups and interviews were conducted with school district stakeholders. Inductive methods were used to code resulting transcripts, from which themes were identified. The analysis provides a thematic analysis of stakeholders’ perspectives on food waste in the Sch…
Maternal employment, acculturation, and time spent in food-related behaviors among Hispanic mothers in the United States. Evidence from the American Time Use Survey
Open AccessSarah A Sliwa, Sarah Sliwa et al.ARTICLEAppetite2015Cited by: 9References: 61
Low demanding parental feeding style is associated with low consumption of whole grains among children of recent immigrants
Open AccessAntonio Tovar, Silvina F Choumenkovitch et al.ARTICLEAppetite2015Cited by: 8References: 59
Shape Up Somerville
Edward Coffield, Allison J Nihiser et al.ARTICLEAmerican Journal of Public Health2015References: 26
Objectives. We investigated the body mass index (BMI; weight in pounds/[height in inches] 2 × 703) of parents whose children participated in Shape Up Somerville (SUS), a community-based participatory research study that altered household, school, and community environments to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. Methods. SUS was a nonrandomized controlled trial with 30 participating elementary schools in 3 Massachusetts communities that occurred…
Study protocol
Open AccessCatherine Wright, Paula J Duquesnay et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2016
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02810834 . Registered May 11, 2015. (Retrospectively registered)
Depressive Symptoms and Weight Status Among Women Recently Immigrating to the US
Open AccessStephanie Anzman-Frasca, Stephanie Anzman‐Frasca et al.ARTICLEMaternal and Child Health Journal2016
School staff, parent and student perceptions of a Breakfast in the Classroom model during initial implementation
Open AccessSara C Folta, Holly Carmichael Djang et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2016
Objective To understand perspectives of stakeholders during initial district-wide implementation of a Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) model of the School Breakfast Program. Design Qualitative data were collected from twenty-nine focus groups and twenty interviews with stakeholders in a school district early in the process of implementing a BIC model of the School Breakfast Program. Setting Ten elementary schools within a large, urban school dist…
Snacks, beverages, and physical activity during volunteer-led out-of-school-time programs
Open AccessChristina D Economos, Christina Economos et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2017
Most programs did not meet criteria for healthier snacks and beverages and opportunities for PA during typical meetings, indicating room for improvement in encouraging widespread adoption of these practices. Efforts to improve the healthfulness of snacks and beverages and increase opportunities for PA during volunteer-led OST programs are warranted
A pilot and feasibility study to assess children’s consumption in quick-service restaurants using plate waste methodology
Open AccessJuliana FW Cohen, Susan B Roberts et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2017
Conducting plate waste research in QSRs is feasible and there is concordance with stated calorie information. Consuming foods exclusively from the children's menu may help limit overconsumption in QSRs
Child and parent perspectives on healthier side dishes and beverages in restaurant kids’ meals
Open AccessEleanor B Tate, Stephanie Anzman‐Frasca et al.ARTICLEBMC Public Health2017
These national survey results indicate that children are receptive to FV side dishes and healthier beverage options with their restaurant meals. Their receptivity has remained high in the recent past, and parents are aware of child receptivity. An opportunity exists for restaurants to leverage child receptivity to healthier sides and beverages by providing and promoting healthy options
Low parental awareness about energy (calorie) recommendations for children’s restaurant meals
Open AccessVanessa M Lynskey, Stephanie Anzman-Frasca et al.ARTICLEPublic Health Nutrition2017
Objective To assess parental awareness of per-meal energy (calorie) recommendations for children’s restaurant meals and to explore whether calorie awareness was associated with parental sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of eating restaurant food. Design Cross-sectional online survey administered in July 2014. Parents estimated calories (i.e. kilocalories; 1 kcal=4·184 kJ) recommended for a child’s lunch/dinner restaurant meal (range:…