Massachusetts General Hospital

ResearchMy research interests are to better understand how physical space and design (the "built environment") affect and influence human health, especially energy balance and chronic disease, among both children and adults. My research has involved large database studies, survey studies, as well as clinical studies, and I am currently the principal investigator on an NIH patient-oriented career development award (1K23HL103841-01) that incorporates a clinical intervention assessing how adolescents use the built environment for daily physical activity. My work is multidisciplinary and seeks to foster collaboration among health researchers and design professionals such as architects and urban planners.

The Campaign Against Childhood Obesity

Pediatrician Nicolas Oreskovic, MD, MPH, and researcher Alison Hoppin, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist offer tips to counter "globesity."

Use of the Built Environment to Promote Physical Activity in Children

Childhood obesity continues to be a major public health problem, and national trends indicate insufficient and declining levels of physical activity in children and adolscents. The design of buildings and neighborhoods, known collectively as the built environment, has the potential to influence physical activity.