Kim M. Gans

Professor

I am currently recruiting graduate students. Email me if you are interested.

Research Overview

Dr. Gans research focuses on interventions in community-based settings with diverse populations to improve eating habits, increase physical activity, reduce food insecurity and prevent/control obesity. She has created innovative health communication technologies to change behavior and she studies interventions to improve home, work and neighborhood environments and how these interventions interface with behavior change interventions to enhance obesity prevention. Another emphasis is on translational research to study the dissemination of effective interventions to various community and clinical settings.

cCurrent research includes: a). a project to improve the eating habits of Southeast Asian children using financial incentives for grocery stores and/or group education and text messages for families; b.) Healthy  Start/Comienzos, a clinical trial recruiting family childcare providers and parents of young children to work together to improve the diet of a child by providing healthier foods both in the childcare setting and at home; c). testing the effectiveness of an enhanced Home-Delivered Meals (HDM) service delivery approach that includes community health worker (CHW) interactions and supplemental healthy grocery bags to address diet quality, food and nutrition security, loneliness, and health-related quality of life for older adults;  d). evaluating a novel home-based intervention to improve the diet quality and family food environment of low-income, ethnically diverse preschool children; e). a study of digitally delivered modules focused on preventing the development of obesity during the first year of life within an existing statewide home visitation program; and f).  a project examining implementation factors related to produce prescription programs in the U.S.

Kim’s research interests include:

  • Healthy eating/nutrition
  • Obesity prevention and treatment
  • Food security
  • Physical activity
  • Interventions in childcare settings
  • Community-engaged research
  • Innovative technology for behavior change
  • Worksite, school and home-based interventions
  • Low income and ethnic minority populations
  • Food environments/food access/food as medicine
  • Translational/dissemination research
  • Health literacy
  • Physician education/training
  • Dietary assessment

 Education

Duke University, Biology, B.S., 1983
University of North Carolina, Master’s in Public Health, 1985
University of Rhode Island, Biological Sciences (Nutrition), Ph.D., 1992

Selected Publications since 2018

    1. Risica PM, Gorham G, Dionne L, Nardi W, Ng D, Middler R, Mello J, Akpolat R, Gettens K, Gans KM. A multi-level intervention in worksites to increase fruit and vegetable access and intake: Rationale, design and methods of the ‘Good to Go’ cluster randomized trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials. 2018 Feb;65:87-98. Epub 2017 Dec 12. PMID: 29242108
    2. Marquez B., Norman G, Fowler J, Gans K, Marcus B. Weight and weight control behaviors of Latinas and their social ties. Health Psychology. 2018 Apr;37(4):318-325. doi: 10.1037/hea0000597. Epub 2018 Feb 1. PMID: 29389157, PMCID: PMC5880731
    3. Dulin-Keita A; Risica PM; Ahmed R; Mello, J.; Cardel M; Howe C; Nadimpalli S; Gans KM. Neighborhood social and environmental factors and fruit and vegetable intake among residents in subsidized housing. BMC Public Health. Apr. 5 2018;18:455, PMCID: PMC5887203, PMID: 29621989
    4. Marquez B, Norman G, Fowler R, Gans KM, Marcus B. Egocentric networks and physical activity outcomes in Latinas. PLOS One. 2018 Jun 18;13(6):e0199139. PMID: 29912935, PMCID: PMC6005572
    5. Gans KM, Risica PM, Keita AD, Dionne L, Mello J, Stowers KC, Papandonatos G, Whittaker S, Gorham G. Multilevel approaches to increase fruit and vegetable intake in low-income housing communities: final results of the ‘Live Well, Viva Bien’ cluster-randomized trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2018 Aug 20;15(1):80. PMID: 30126463, PMCID: PMC6102886
    6. Gans KM, Tovar A, Jiang Q, Mello J, Dionne L, Mena NZ, Paloma V, Risica PM. Nutrition-related Practices of Family Childcare Providers and Differences by Ethnicity. Childhood Obesity.2019 Apr;15(3):167-184. doi: 10.1089/chi.2018.0083. Epub 2019 Feb 1. PMID:  30707598
    7. Dulin-Keita A; Quintiliani L; Buscemi J; Bell, B.M.; Gans KM; Yaroch A. Society of Behavioral Medicine position statement: increase funding for fruits and vegetables production in The Farm Bill reauthorization. Translational Behavioral Medicine. March 2019; 9(2):391-394.
    8. Risica PM, Tovar A, Palomo V, Dionne L, Mena N, Magid K, Ward DS, Gans KM. Improving nutrition and physical activity environments of family child care homes: the rationale, design and study protocol of the ‘Healthy Start/Comienzos Sanos’ cluster randomized trial. BMC Public Health. 2019 Apr 18;19(1):419. PubMed PMID: 30999881; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6472069.
    9. Linke SE, Dunsiger SI, Gans KM, Hartman SJ, Pekmezi D, Larsen BA, Mendoza-Vasconez AS, Marcus BH. Association between physical activity intervention website use and physical activity levels among Spanish-Speaking Latinas: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2019 Jul 24;21(7):e13063. PubMed PMID: 31342902.
    10. Cuadrado-Soto E, Risica PM, Gans KM, Ellis C, Araujo CD, Lofgren IE, Stowers KC, Tovar A. Micronutrient adequacy in preschool children attending family child care homes. Nutrients. 2019 Sep 6;11(9). pii: E2134. PubMed PMID: 31500153; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6770721.
    11. Mena NZ, Risica PM, Gans KM, Lofgren IE, Gorman K, Tobar FK, Tovar A. Communication With Family Child Care Providers and Feeding Preschool-Aged Children: Parental Perspectives. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2020 Jan;52(1):10-20. PMID: 31929040; PMCID: PMC6961812.
    12. Tovar A, Risica PM, Ramirez A, Mena N, Lofgren I,  Cooksey Stowers K, Gans KM.  Exploring provider-level socio-demographic determinants of diet quality of preschool aged children attending family childcare homes.  Nutrients. May 2020, 12(5), 1368. PMID: 32403299, PMCID: PMC7284878
    13. Fox K, Gans K, McCurdy K, Risica PM, Jennings E, Gorin A, Papandonatos GD, Tovar A. Rationale, design and study protocol of the ‘Strong Families Start at Home’ feasibility trial to improve the diet quality of low-income, ethnically diverse children by helping parents improve their feeding and food preparation practices. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2020 Jun 16;19:100583. PMID: 32637721; PMCID: PMC7327278.
    14. BA Larsen , TJ Benitez , AS Mendoza-Vasconez, SJ Hartman, SE Linke, DJ Pekmezi, SI Dunsiger, JN Nodora, KM Gans, BH Marcus. Randomized Trial of a Physical Activity Intervention for Latino Men: Activo. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Volume 59, Issue 2, August 2020, Pages 219-227. PMID: 32448552; PMCID: PMC7375921
    15. Benitez, T.J., Dunsiger, S.I., Pekmezi, D.J., Larsen, B.A., Mendoza-Vasconez, A.S., Linke, S.E., Bock, B.C., Gans, K.M., Hartman, S.J., Marcus, B.H. Design and rationale for a randomized trial of a theory- and technology- enhanced physical activity intervention for Latinas: The Seamos Activas II study.  Contemporary Clinical Trials. Volume 96, September 2020, 106081. PMID: 32687974; PMCID: PMC7494592.
    16. Cooksey Stowers K, Jiang Q, Atoloye A, Lucan S, Gans K. Racial Differences in Perceived Food Swamp and Food Desert Exposure and Disparities in Self-Reported Dietary Habits. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Sep 29;17(19):7143. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197143. PMID: 33003573; PMCID: PMC7579470.
    17. AW Kang, TR Ash, A Tovar, KM Gans, J Minkel, , Risica. Exploring parenting contexts of Latinx 2-to-5-year old children’s sleep: Qualitative evidence informing intervention development. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 2020 Sep – Oct;54:93-100. PMID: 32801064
    18. Cooksey Stowers K, Marfo NYA, Gurganus EA, Gans KM, Kumanyika SK, Schwartz MB. The hunger-obesity paradox: Exploring food banking system characteristics and obesity inequities among food-insecure pantry clients. PLoS One. 2020;15(10):e0239778. Published 2020 Oct 21. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0239778 PMCID: PMC7577435 PMID: 33085685
    19. Ramirez, A.; Vadiveloo, M.; Risica, P.M.; Gans, K.M.; Greaney, M.L.; Mena, N.Z.; Cooksey Stowers, K.; Tovar, A. Dietary Contributors to Food Group Intake in Preschool Children Attending Family Childcare Homes: Differences between Latino and Non-Latino Providers. November 2020, 12, 3686. PMID: 33260442; PMCID: PMC7761496
    20. Kang, A.W., Gans, K.M., Minkel, J. & Risica, P.M. (2020). Effects of Coparenting Quality, Stress, and Sleep Parenting on Sleep and Obesity among Latinx Children: A Path Analysis. J Pediatr Health Care. . Nov-Dec 2020;34(6):e77-e90. PMID: 32891498.
    21. Risica PM, Nelson T, Camacho-Orona K, Bove G, Kumanyika SK, Odoms-Young AM, Silice M, Kirtania U, Gans KM. Emotional eating predicts weight regain among Black women in the SisterTalk intervention. Obesity, 29(1), 19-85. 2021 Jan. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23045
    22. Gans K, Dulin A, Palomo V, Benitez T, Dunsiger S, Dionne L, Champion G, Edgar R, Marcus B. A Tailored Web- and Text-Based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity for Latino Men: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2021 Jan 29;10(1):e23690. PMCID: PMC7880809
    23. Risica PM, McCarthy ML, Barry KL, Oliverio SP, Gans KM, De Groot AS. Clinical outcomes of a community clinic-based lifestyle change program for prevention and management of metabolic syndrome: Results of the ‘Vida Sana/Healthy Life’ program. PLoS One. 2021 Apr 1;16(4):e0248473. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248473. PMID: 33793595; PMCID: PMC8016241
    24. Kang AW, Gans KM, von Ash T, Castagneri D, Dionne L, Tovar A, Risica PM. Physical Activity Levels among Preschool-Aged Children in Family Child Care Homes: A Comparison between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Children Using Accelerometry. Children (Basel). 2021 Apr 28;8(5):349. doi: 10.3390/children8050349. PMID: 33924912; PMCID: PMC8145521..
    25. Kang, A.W. Gans, K.M., Minkel, J. & Risica, P.M. (2021) Correlates of objectively measured physical activity and sleep among Latinx Children. Journal of Pediatric Nursing.Volume 60, September–October 2021, Pages 40-45; PMID: 33618176;  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2021.01.010
    26. Jiang Q, Tovar A, Risica PM, Cooksey Stowers K, Schwartz M, Lombardi C, Kang A, Mena NZ, Gans KM. Ethnic Differences in Family Childcare Providers’ Nutrition- and Activity-Related Attitudes and Barriers. J Obes. 2021 Oct 7;2021:6697006. doi: 10.1155/2021/6697006. PMID: 34659829; PMCID: PMC8516587.
    27. Gans KM, Jiang Q, Tovar A, Kang A, McCardle M, Risica PM. Physical Activity and Screen Time Practices of Family Child Care Providers: Do They Meet Best Practice Guidelines? Child Obes. 2021 Dec 1. doi: 10.1089/chi.2021.0094. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34851731.
    28. Von Ash T, Risica PM, Tovar A, Gans KM. An Observational Assessment of Sleep Environments in Family Child Care Homes. International Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health Research. 2021 1(5).
    29. Dulin A, Mealy R, Whittaker S, Cardel M, Wang J, Risica PM, Gans K. Identifying Barriers to and Facilitators of Using a Mobile Fruit and Vegetable Market Intervention Delivered to Low-Income Housing Sites: A Concept Mapping Study. Health Educ Behav. 2022 Feb;49(1):159-168. doi: 10.1177/1090198121998287. Epub 2021 Mar 17. PMID: 33729024; PMCID: PMC8446086
    30. Bennett, B.L., Gans, K.M., Burkholder, K.; Esposito, J., Warykas, S.W.; Schwartz, M.B. Distributing Summer Meals during a Pandemic: Challenges and Innovations. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 3167. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063167
    31. Karen McCurdy, Kim M. Gans, Patricia Markham Risica, Katelyn Fox, and Alison Tovar.. Food insecurity, food parenting practices, and child eating behaviors among low-income Hispanic families of young children. Appetite. 2022 Feb 1;169:105857. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105857. PMID: 34896386; PMCID: PMC8748423.
    32. Mobley A.R., Gans K.M., Adamsons K., Huedo-Medina T.B. Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Father-Focused Childhood Obesity Prevention Program for Low-Income Families with Preschool-Age Children. Childhood Obesity. http://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2021.0225 Online Ahead of Print. March 11, 2022
    33. Gans KM, et al. A multi‑component tailored intervention in family childcare homes improves diet quality and sedentary behavior of preschool children compared to an attention control: results from the Healthy Start‑Comienzos Sanos cluster randomized trial. International Journal of Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2022 Apr 15;19(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s12966-022-01272-6. PMID: 35428298; PMCID: PMC9013065.
    34. Evans EW, Lyerly R, Gans KM, Alexander Scott N, Cohen ED, Lawson E, Nunn A. Translating Research-Funded Mobile Produce Market Trials Into Sustained Public Health Programs : Food on the Move. Public Health Rep. 2022 May-Jun;137(3):425-430. doi: 10.1177/00333549211012409. Epub 2021 May 3. PMID: 33940983.
    35. Mendoza-Vasconez AS, Benitez T, Dunsiger S, Gans KM, et al. Pasos Hacia La Salud II: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a theory- and technology-enhanced physical activity intervention for Latina women, compared to the original intervention. Trials. 2022 Aug 1;23(1):621. PMID: 35915473; PMCID: PMC9341151.
    36. Risica, PM, Karpowicz JM, von Ash T, Gans KM, Cooksey-Stowers K, Tovar A. “Feeding and Activity Environments for Infants and Toddlers in Childcare Centers and Family Childcare Homes in Southeastern New England” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022, 19, no. 15: 9702. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159702.
    37. Mobley AR, Gans KM, Adamsons K, Huedo-Medina TB. Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Father-Focused Childhood Obesity Prevention Program for Low-Income Families with Preschool-Age Children. Child Obes. 2023 Jan;19(1):13-24. doi: 10.1089/chi.2021.0225. Epub 2022 Mar 11. PMID: 35275734.
    38. Tovar A, Fox K, Gans KM, Markham Risica P, Papandonatos GD, Ramirez A, Gorin AA, von Ash T, Jennings E, Bouchard K, McCurdy K. Results from the Strong Families Start at Home/Familias Fuertes Comienzan en Casa: feasibility randomised control trial to improve the diet quality of low-income, predominantly Hispanic/Latinx children. Public Health Nutr. 2023 Jan 24;26(4):1-15. doi: 10.1017/S1368980023000174. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36691686; PMCID: PMC10131154.
    39. Fox K, Vadiveloo M, Gans KM, et al. Control and Chaos: Caregiver’s Basic Psychological Need Frustration is Associated with the Socio-emotional Context of Feeding. J Nutr Educ Behav 2023 Mar 8:S1499-4046(23)00025-8. PMID: 36898869.
    40. Jiang Q, Risica PM, Tovar A, Cooksey Stowers K, Schwartz MB, Lombardi C, Gans K. Nutrition Practices of Family Child Care Home Providers and Children’s Diet Quality. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2023 May 26:S1499-4046(23)00059-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2023.03.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37245146.
    41. Jamie Zeldman, Elder Garcia Varela, Amy A. Gorin, Kim M. Gans, Matthew J. Gurka, Angelina V. Bernier, Amy R. Mobley. Home Visitation Program Staff Attitudes and Intentions Towards Using Digital Technology to Educate Families About Preventing Early Childhood Obesity: A Qualitative Study. Matern Child Health J (2023). June 5, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03731-3  
    42. Jiang, Q., Risica, P., Tovar, A., Cooksey-Stowers, K., Schwartz, M., Lombardi, C., Alhassan, S., & Gans, K. Effect of Applying Best Practices for Physical Activity and Screen Time to Family Childcare Homes. July 2023 Preventing Chronic Disease20(4) DOI: 5888/pcd20.220325
    43. Kalinowski J, Idiong C, Blackman-Carr L, Cooksey Stowers K, Davis S, Pan C, Chhabra A, Eaton L, Gans KM, Alexander JE, Pagoto S. Leveraging the Black Girls Run Web-Based Community as a Supportive Community for Physical Activity Engagement: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Form Res. 2023 Sep 7;7:e43825. doi: 10.2196/43825. PMID: 37676722; PMCID: PMC10514768
    44. Jiang Q, Risica PM, Tovar A, Cooksey Stowers K, Schwartz MB, Lombardi C, Gans KM. Mediation of the association between social environmental characteristics of family childcare home and weight status in children by diet quality. BMC Public Health. 2023 Nov 21;23(1):2301. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17179-1. PMID: 37990180; PMCID: PMC10664465.
    45. Dulin AJ, Dunsiger S, Benitez T, Larsen B, Marcus BH, Champion G, Gans KM. The Hombres Saludables Physical Activity Web-Based and Mobile Phone Intervention: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial With Latino Men. J Med Internet Res. 2023 Dec 7;25:e39310. doi: 10.2196/39310. PMID: 38060285; PMCID: PMC10739242.
    46. Ramirez A, Fox K, Melo Herrera Y, Gans KM, Risica PM, McCurdy K, Jennings E, Tovar A. Goals, Barriers, and Facilitators of Caregivers Who Participated in an In-Home Intervention to Improve Food Parenting Practices and Child Diet Quality. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2024 Apr 30:S1499-4046(24)00075-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2024.04.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38691079.
      48. Fox, K., Vadiveloo, M., McCurdy, K., Risica, P. M., Gans, K. M., & Tovar, A. (In Press). Associations Between Child Eating Behavior and Diet Quality and Eating Patterns in Preschool-Aged Children. Appetite. 2024, 107621, ISSN 0195-6663, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107621. Chosen for Best Research Award.

    Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography (133 publications):
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/kim.gans.1/bibliography/public/

     

     

    Kim Gans
    Contact Information
    Emailkim.gans@uconn.edu
    Phone860 486 3865
    Mailing Address348 Mansfield Road, U-1058 Storrs, CT 06269-1058 USA