Program Affiliations
Jennifer Otten is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services and is also affiliated with the Interdisciplinary Program in Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Otten completed her postdoctoral research fellowship at the Stanford Prevention Research Center from 2009-2012. From 1998-2006, she worked in various capacities at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, including as Communications Director and Study Director. Dr. Otten is a registered dietitian (RD) and she completed her dietetic internship at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She has a focus on public health policy, and works closely with state and local health departments on planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health nutrition programs. (Google Scholar Profile) (Download Curriculum Vitae)
Research Interests:
Impacts of public health policy, specifically nutrition and
built environment policy, on health behavior change and obesity prevention
and reduction; efficacy and evaluation of public health policies; the
effects of political psychology and political attention on communicating and
spreading public health policy; obesity and behavioral weight management
interventions.
Contact Information
Education
MS Tufts University, 1998 (Nutrition Communications)
BS Texas A&M University, 1995
Recent Publications
Buman MP, Winter SJ, Baker C, Hekler EB, Otten JJ, King AC. Neighborhood Eating and Activity Advocacy Teams (NEAAT): engaging older adults in policy activities to improve food and physical environments. Transl Behav Med. 2012;2(2):249-53.
Otten JJ, Hekler EB, Krukowski RA, Buman MP, Saelens BE, Gardner CD, King AC. Food marketing to children through toys: response of restaurants to the first U.S. toy ordinance. Am J Prev Med. 2012 Jan;42(1):56-60. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.08.020. PMID: 22176847
Estabrooks P, Pagoto S, Otten J, Pbert L, Stone A, King A, Goggin K, Emmons K. The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) and public policy advocacy: a call to action. Transl Behav Med. 2011;1(3):492-6.
Gardner CD, Kim S, Bersamin A, Dopler-Nelson M, Otten J, Oelrich B, Cherin R. Micronutrient quality of weight-loss diets that focus on macronutrients: results from the A TO Z study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Aug;92(2):304-12. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.29468. Epub 2010 Jun 23. PMID: 20573800 PMCID: PMC2904033
