Obesity Epidemiology and Prevention
Introduction
The Obesity Epidemiology and Prevention concentration was created to help public health leaders address the escalating obesity epidemic in the U.S. and worldwide through multidisciplinary research and training, international collaboration, and public health policy and outreach.
The Program is intended to stimulate transdisciplinary research synergy among scientists from a broad array of fields, including epidemiology, nutrition, basic science, social and behavioral sciences, economics, and public policy. In addition, the Obesity Epidemiology and Prevention Concentration serves as the base for didactic training in obesity epidemiology and prevention across multiple departments at HSPH.
As a student in the Obesity Epidemiology and Prevention Concentration, you will receive training on the theoretical, methodological, and applied knowledge and skills necessary to conduct obesity-related epidemiologic and prevention research.
Students can expect to gain expertise in epidemiologic designs, survey methods, statistical analysis, and nutritional epidemiology, among other abilities necessary for a successful career in public health.
Curriculum
The Obesity Epidemiology and Prevention concentration requires 7.5 credits for successful completion.
- ID 214: Nutritional Epidemiology
- ID 537: Obesity Epidemiology
- ID 221: Advanced Nutritional Epidemiology*
*Course offered every other year. Students may substitute this course with other courses with the Faculty Director’s approval.
Thesis work or Applied Practice experience (for MPH students) must be relevant to the topic of obesity epidemiology and/or prevention.
Competencies
Students who complete the Obesity Epidemiology and Prevention Concentration curriculum will have developed competence in the following areas:
- Design, conduct, and analyze research on obesity and nutritional epidemiologic and prevention studies.
- Analyze and interpret research on community-based interventions for the prevention of obesity and related chronic diseases.
Enrollment
The concentration is open to 2-year Masters students, 65 credit MPH students, and doctoral students in the following departments:
- Nutrition
- Epidemiology
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Global Health and Population
- Environmental Health
- Health Policy and Management
Once students are accepted to Harvard Chan School, They contact the Concentration administrators to complete a short application to the Obesity Epidemiology and Prevention Concentration.
People
Related links
For more information on obesity and other nutrition-related topics, please explore the Nutrition Source.
For more information on obesity research, epidemiology, and prevention, explore the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.