Josiemer Mattei

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Biography

Dr. Mattei is the Donald and Sue Pritzker Associate Professor of Nutrition at the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She investigates the genetic, dietary, and psychosocial risk factors of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and allostatic load in racial and ethnic groups as well as underserved and minority populations, as a framework to explain health disparities. Her emphasis is on Hispanics/Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America. Her multiple projects include longitudinal cohort studies in Puerto Rico, mixed-methods projects on diet, stress, and weight stigma, collaborations with epidemiological cohorts of Hispanics/Latinos in the Unites States, and culturally-tailored dietary interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease in Boston and Puerto Rico. Her work extends to several Latin American countries through collaborative partnerships. Dr. Mattei promotes evidence-based policy and programs for chronic disease prevention in Puerto Rico and US-Latino communities. Her ultimate goal is to help Latinos and other ethnic and minority populations eat healthy and be healthy.

Dr. Mattei’s productive body of work was recognized in 2016 with a Mark Bieber Award for Outstanding Nutrition-related Research by the American Heart Association, of which she is recognized as a Fellow (FAHA), and the 2019 Paul Sorlie Early Career Investigator Award from HCHS/SOL. Dr. Mattei is deeply involved in mentoring students and postdocs, and in enhancing the graduate learning and research experience. Dr. Mattei works diligently towards the inclusion and advancement of under-represented groups in epidemiological and community studies, of minority students in public health education, and of women and minorities in science and academia.

Education and Training

• BS, Industrial Microbiology
  University of Puerto Rico
• MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
  School of Medicine, Tufts University
• MS, Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism-Specialization in Genetics
  Tufts University
• PhD, Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism
  Friedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University

Publications

• Cardiovascular Health Among Young Men and Women in Puerto Rico as Assessed by the Life's Essential 8 Metrics.

  Pérez CM, López-Cepero A, Almodóvar-Rivera I, Kiefe CI, Tucker KL, Person SD, Mattei J, Rodríguez-Orengo J, Rosal MC. J Am Heart Assoc 2024 Oct 15

• Equity as a priority in EAT-Lancet-aligned food system transformations.

  Marrero A, Nicoson C, Kelahan H, Mendoza K, Salvia M, Golden C, Mattei J. Nat Food 2024

• Effects of Nonnutritive Sweeteners on the BMI of Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and Prospective Cohort Studies.

  Espinosa A, Mendoza K, Laviada-Molina H, Rangel-Méndez JA, Molina-Segui F, Sun Q, Tobias DK, Willett WC, Mattei J. Adv Nutr 2024 Sep 13

• Ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease: analysis of three large US prospective cohorts and a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

  Mendoza K, Smith-Warner SA, Rossato SL, Khandpur N, Manson JE, Qi L, Rimm EB, Mukamal KJ, Willett WC, Wang M, Hu FB, Mattei J, Sun Q. Lancet Reg Health Am 2024

• Psychological resilience, resilient coping, and health behaviors among adults in Puerto Rico after multiple adverse events.

  Sampson L, Kim AH, O'Neill HJ, Tamez M, Falcon LM, Tucker KL, Acosta-Pérez E, Rodriguez Orengo JF, Kubzansky LD, Koenen KC, Mattei J. Prev Med Rep 2024