Katie DiSantis, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor
Associate Director, Institute for Smart & Healthy Cities
Contact
Katie DiSantis, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor
Associate Director, Institute for Smart & Healthy Cities
Research & Practice Interests
Childhood Obesity Prevention
Health Equity
Family Food Purchasing
Food Access and Availability
Racially and Ethnically Targeted Food Marketing
School Nutritional Policy
Infant feeding behaviors
Breastfeeding
Education
PhD, Temple University
MPH, Temple University
BS, Pennsylvania State University
Recent Publications
- Food Environments Within and Outside of Schools Play a Critical Role in Curtailing the Rise in Obesity among School-Aged Children over Time
- The relationship between changes in neighborhood physical environment and changes in physical activity among children: a prospective cohort study
- Assessing Increases in Cannabis-Related Diagnoses in US Hospitals by Regional Policy Status
- Black Community Conversations About Opposing Ethnically Targeted Marketing of Unhealthy Foods and Beverages
- A mixed methods case study of food shopping in a community with high infant mortality
Teaching
Health Research Methods
Society, Behavior, and Environment
Capstone ILE
Biography
Dr. Katie Isselmann DiSantis is a public health educator and researcher. Dr. DiSantis holds a Doctorate in Public Health and MPH in Community Health Education from Temple University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biobehavioral Health from Penn State University. Her major research interests focus on identifying and analyzing the social, behavioral, and neighborhood factors that impact infant feeding behaviors and childhood obesity risk. Dr. DiSantis’ recent research assesses the healthfulness of family food purchases and the influence of school and neighborhood food environments on child weight status. She has published in top public health, medical, and nutrition journals including Pediatrics, International Journal for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, American Journal of Public Health, American Journal of Preventative Medicine, Appetite, and the International Journal of Obesity and has presented at conferences including American Public Health Association (APHA); International Society for Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity (ISBNPA); Society for Behavioral Medicine (SMB); and Association for Prevention, Teaching, and Research (APTR).
Dr. DiSantis was previously faculty at Arcadia University, where she was an Associate Professor, Chair of the Department of Public Health, and Director of the BSPH program. She taught both undergraduate and graduate students in areas of research methods, nutrition, and health equity, and was awarded the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award in 2019. She is passionate about training the next generation of public health professionals through teaching and research mentorship.