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Nutrition is a major determinant of health. In order to take advantage of the potential of nutrition to enhance quality of life and the health of the population we must continue to explore effective methods of nutrition promotion.

Donna B. Johnson
Associate Professor

Professor Johnson is also affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Program in Nutritional Sciences and is Associate Director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition. She has a focus on public health nutrition practice, and works closely with state and local health departments on planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health nutrition programs. Dr. Johnson is an investigator at the CDC funded Health Promotion Research Center.

Research Interests:
Pediatric nutrition; efficacy of public health nutrition interventions; public health approaches to obesity

Contact Information

email:   djohn@u.washington.edu

office:   306B, Raitt Hall

address:
Interdisciplinary Program in Nutritional Sciences
Seattle, WA 98195

campus box:   353410
voice:   206-685-1068
fax:   206-685-1696

Education

PhD   University of Washington, 1995   (Nutritional Science)
MS   Syracuse University, 1979   (Nutrition)
BS   Iowa State University, 1973   (Nutrition)

Recent Publications



Monsivais P, Johnson DB. Improving nutrition in home child care: are food costs a barrier? Public Health Nutr. 2012 Feb;15(2):370-6. Epub 2011 Sep 29.  PMID: 22014448
PubMed
DOI


Kong A, Beresford SA, Alfano CM, Foster-Schubert KE, Neuhouser ML, Johnson DB, Duggan C, Wang CY, Xiao L, Bain CE, McTiernan A. Associations between snacking and weight loss and nutrient intake among postmenopausal overweight to obese women in a dietary weight-loss intervention. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Dec;111(12):1898-903.  PMID: 22117666    PMCID: PMC3242470
PubMed
PubMed Central
DOI


Boles M, Dilley JA, Dent C, Elman MR, Duncan SC, Johnson DB. Changes in local school policies and practices in Washington State after an unfunded physical activity and nutrition mandate. Prev Chronic Dis. 2011 Nov;8(6):A129. Epub 2011 Oct 17.  PMID: 22005622    PMCID: PMC3221571
PubMed
PubMed Central


Monsivais P, Kirkpatrick S, Johnson DB. More nutritious food is served in child-care homes receiving higher federal food subsidies. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 May;111(5):721-6.  PMID: 21515119
PubMed
DOI


Steinman L, Doescher M, Keppel GA, Pak-Gorstein S, Graham E, Haq A, Johnson DB, Spicer P. Understanding infant feeding beliefs, practices and preferred nutrition education and health provider approaches: an exploratory study with Somali mothers in the USA. Matern Child Nutr. 2010 Jan;6(1):67-88.  PMID: 20055931    PMCID: PMC3049329
PubMed
PubMed Central
DOI


Dissertation, Thesis & Capstone Committees (recent HSERV graduates)

2010
Member, dissertation committee for Tracy Hilliard
Understanding socioeconomic, sociocultural, and environmental determinants of obesity among African Americans

2008
Member, thesis committee for Helene Greves Grow
State physical activity policy mandate: is it associated with changes in student report of physical activity?

2008
Chair, thesis committee for Arlene Hoffman
Washington State pediatricians' breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes and practices

External Funding (sampling of recent awards from UW SAGE data)

Health Promotion Research Center
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
PI:   Harris           Dates:    9/30/2011 - 9/29/2012

Partners in Excellence for Leadership in MCH Nutrition
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2011 - 6/30/2012

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    6/30/2011 - 6/29/2012

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    6/30/2011 - 6/29/2012

Partners in Excellence for Leadership in MCH Nutrition
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    5/1/2011 - 6/30/2011

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    12/30/2010 - 6/29/2011

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    12/10/2010 - 6/29/2011

Assessing the impact of menu labeling in schools
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    11/15/2010 - 5/15/2012

Health Promotion Research Center
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
PI:   Harris           Dates:    9/30/2010 - 9/29/2011

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    9/1/2010 - 6/29/2011

ARRA-CPPW Coalition for Safety and Health in Early Learning
Community Pediatric Foundation of Washington
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    9/1/2010 - 3/19/2012

ARRA "Communities Putting Prevention to Work"
Treeswing
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    8/1/2010 - 3/19/2011

ARRA, “Communities Putting Prevention to Work- Treeswing/UW
Treeswing
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    8/1/2010 - 3/19/2012

Partners in Excellence for Leadership in MCH Nutrition
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2010 - 6/30/2011

Collaborative Research Infrastructure to Transform School Health
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2010 - 6/30/2013

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research Centers: Special Interest Project Competitive Supplements (SIPS) (U48)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
PI:   Harris           Dates:    9/30/2009 - 9/29/2014

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    9/29/2009 - 6/29/2011

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2009 - 6/29/2010

Partners in Excellence for Leadership in MCH Nutrition
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2009 - 6/30/2010

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    2/1/2009 - 6/29/2009

Studying the Impact of the Child Care Setting on Childhood Obesity II
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    10/1/2008 - 6/30/2009

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research Centers
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
PI:   Harris           Dates:    9/30/2008 - 9/29/2009

Partners in Excellence for Leadership in MCH Nutrition
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2008 - 6/30/2013

Washington State Obesity Prevention
Washington State Department of Health
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    6/30/2008 - 6/29/2009

Seattle Schools PE Curriculum Evaluation-Treeswing
Treeswing
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    3/1/2008 - 9/30/2009

Cost and Quality: Economic Determinants of Foods Served in Day Care Homes
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    9/1/2007 - 8/31/2010

Policy Legislation and Nutrition Plus Physical Activity (PLAN-Plus): What Works to Improve Student Health?
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2007 - 6/30/2009

Unplugged and Media Savvy: reducing the impact of "screen" time
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    6/1/2007 - 5/31/2009

Unplugged and Media Savvy: Reducing the Impact of "Screen" Time
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    6/1/2007 - 5/31/2009

Policy Legislation and Nutrition (PLAN): What Works to Improve Student Health?
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
PI:   Johnson           Dates:    7/1/2006 - 6/30/2009

Projects

Policy Nutrition and Legislation: What works to improve student health? (PLAN)
A three year research grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the impact of changes in school nutrition policies in Washington middle schools.
Washington Active Bodies Active Minds (WAABAM)
Development, dissemination and evaluation of resources to ensure that environments for children ages 2-5 encourage minimum screen time and maximum physical activity
Partnership with the Washington State Department of Health for Nutrition and Physical Activity in Prevention of Obesity
Implementation and evaluation of the Washington State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan through ongoing efforts of multi-sectoral partners and targeted initiatives in five Healthy Communities.

Links

Center for Public Health Nutrition
Active Bodies Active Minds - Minimize Screen Time, Maximize Health
Partners in Action - Nutrition & Physical Activity in Washington
Healthy Schools in Washington - Resources for enhancing the nutrition and physical activity environment for our students

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