Christina Economos

Christina Economos
Name	Christina Economos
Nationality	American
Fields	Public health, Nutritional science, Preventive medicine
Workplaces	Tufts University, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Alma mater	Columbia University, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Known for	Childhood obesity prevention, ChildObesity180, translational research
Awards	James Beard Foundation Award, Fellow of the The Obesity Society

Christina Economos is an American public health scientist and academic leader renowned for her translational research in childhood obesity prevention. She is the New Balance Chair in Childhood Nutrition and a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Economos is a co-founder and director of the national initiative ChildObesity180, and has held significant administrative roles, including Dean ad interim of the Friedman School and Vice Provost for Research at Tufts.

Early life and education

Christina Economos completed her undergraduate education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning a Bachelor of Science degree. She then pursued advanced studies at Columbia University, where she received a Master of Science. Economos earned her doctorate, a Ph.D., from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, solidifying her foundation in the interdisciplinary fields that would inform her career in public health and nutritional science.

Academic career and research

Economos has built her academic career at Tufts University, where her research focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of community- and school-based interventions to prevent childhood obesity. She employs methods from behavioral science and implementation science to create scalable programs. Her work is characterized by strong partnerships with organizations like the YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and she has contributed to influential studies published in journals such as the American Journal of Public Health and Pediatrics.

Tufts University leadership roles

At Tufts University, Economos has taken on several high-level leadership positions that have shaped the institution's research and academic enterprise. She served as the Vice Provost for Research, overseeing the university's research infrastructure and initiatives. She also held the role of Dean ad interim of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, guiding one of the nation's leading nutrition schools. In these roles, she worked closely with other Tufts entities like the Tisch College of Civic Life and the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

ChildObesity180 initiative

A cornerstone of Economos' work is co-founding and directing ChildObesity180, a national initiative based at Tufts University that brings together leaders from the public sector, private sector, and academia to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. The initiative develops and scales evidence-based programs, such as the Active Schools Acceleration Project and Healthy Kids Out of School. It has formed partnerships with major organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association.

Awards and recognition

Christina Economos' contributions have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. She is an elected fellow of The Obesity Society, a leading professional organization. Her work with ChildObesity180 earned her a James Beard Foundation Award for Leadership. She has also received accolades such as the prestigious Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Director's Lecture Award and recognition from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Selected publications

Economos is the author of a substantial body of scholarly work. Key publications include studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association and Obesity Reviews. Notable works often involve multi-site trials like the "Shape Up Somerville" study and evaluations of programs integrated with entities such as the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contributing significantly to the evidence base in preventive medicine.

Category:American public health researchers Category:Tufts University faculty Category:Nutritionists