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Amy Yaroch, PhD
Program Director
Health Promotion Research Branch
Behavioral Research Program
Amy Yaroch, Ph.D. has been a Program Director/Behavioral Scientist at the National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Behavioral Research Program, Health Promotion Research Branch since August 2002. Since joining NCI, Dr. Yaroch has led research efforts in the areas of nutrition, obesity prevention, and sun safety/skin cancer prevention. She leads research and evaluation efforts in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption, including the current development of a survey to assess fruit and vegetable consumption and psychosocial predictors of consumption. Dr. Yaroch is actively promoting and working on research in the area of diet and communication at NIH. In addition, she is a collaborator on an ongoing NCI project to develop and implement a method (or rating system) for the 50 states for measuring the extensiveness of state nutrition and PE policies (or legislation) in enacted in schools at the state level. Prior to joining NCI, Dr. Yaroch was an Assistant Scientist in the Division of Behavioral and Community Studies at the AMC Cancer Research Center in Denver, Colorado (1999-2002). During that time, Dr. Yaroch worked on development and activities related to obesity prevention and behavioral nutrition interventions. In addition, she was an active collaborator on the Sunny Days Healthy Ways Intervention, where she led measurement aspects of the study, including validity and reliability testing of surveys. In 2001, Dr. Yaroch received funding from the NCI to conduct a dietary measurement study among minority adolescents. Prior to her work in Colorado, she served as a Project Director on Go Girls!, an obesity prevention intervention (1996-1999) and was a Project Coordinator on the Gimme 5 intervention (1996) to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in children, both conducted at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Yaroch received her bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Albany in 1990 and her Ph.D. in Nutrition and Health Sciences with a behavioral focus from Emory University in 1999. Her research interests/ expertise include the areas of behavioral and health promotion research, dietary/nutrition interventions, skin cancer prevention (sun safety), measurement, child and adolescent research, and obesity prevention at the individual, environmental, and policy levels.
Select Publications and Presentations
Blank, H.M., Yaroch, A.L. , Leatham, S.H., Atienza, A.A., Zhang, J., & Masse, L.C. (In Press). Lunchtime food purchasing practices among working Americans: Results from a population-based survey. Health Education and Behavior.
Rutten, L.J., Yaroch, A.L., Atienza, A.A., & Colon-Ramos, U. (In Press). Awareness, use, and perceptions of low carbohydrate diets and nutritional recommendations. Preventing Chronic Disease.
Reynolds, K.M., Buller, D.B., Yaroch, A.L., Maloy, J., Geno, C., & Cutter, G.R. (In Press). Effects of program exposure and engagement with tailored prevention communication on sun protection by young adolescents. Journal of Health Communication.
Evans, W.G., Blitstein, J., Hersey, J., Renaud, J., & Yaroch, A.L. (In Press). Systematic review of public health branding research. Journal of Health Communication.
Colon-Ramos, U., Atienza, A., Weber, D., Taylor, M., Uy, C., & Yaroch, A.L. (In Press). Positive health behaviors of socially and health-networked individuals. Journal of Health Communication.
Andreeva, V.A., Unger, J.B., Yaroch, A.L., Cockburn, M.G., Baezconde-Garbanati, L., & Reynolds, K.D. (In Press). Language acculturation and sun-safe practices among Latinos. American Journal of Public Health.
Story, M., Gules-Corti, B., Yaroch, A.L., Cummins, S., Frank, L.D., Huang, T-K., & Lewis, L.B. (In Press). Workgroup IV: Future directions for measures of the food and physical activity environments. American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
McKinnon, R.A., Reedy, J., Morrissette, M.A., Lytle, L.A. & Yaroch, A.L. (In Press). Measures of the food environment: A compilation of the literature, 1990-2007. American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Wolf, R.L., Lepore, S.J., Vandergrift, J., Wetmore-Arkader, L., McGinty, E., Pietrzak, G., & Yaroch, A.L. Knowledge, barriers, and stage of change as correlates of fruit and vegetable consumption among urban and mostly immigrant black men. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2008:108(8):1315-22.
Andreeva, V., Reynolds, K.D., Buller, D.B., Chou, C-P., & Yaroch, A.L. Concurrent psychosocial predictors of sun safety among middle school youth. Journal of School Health. 2008:78(7):374-81.
Shaikh, A.R., Yaroch, A.L., Nebeling, L., Yeh, M-C, & Resnicow, K. Psychosocial predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption in adults: A review of the literature. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2008:34(6):535-43.
Glanz, K., Yaroch, A.L., Dancel, M., Saraiya, M., Crane, L.A., Buller, D.B., Manne, S., O’Riordan, D., Heckman, C.J., Hay, J., & Robinson, J.K. Measures of sun exposure and sun protection practices for behavioral and epidemiologic research. Archives of Dermatology. 2008; Feb; 144(2):217-22.
Yaroch, A.L., Nebeling, L., Thompson, F.E., et al. Baseline design elements and sample characteristics for seven sites participating in the Nutrition Working Group of the Behavior Change Consortium. Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(1S-III):183S-192S.
Thompson, F. E., Midthune, D., Williams, G., Yaroch, A. L., Hurley, T. G., Resnicow, K., Hebert, J. R., Toobert, D. J., Greene, G. W., Peterson, K., & Nebeling, L. Evaluation of a short dietary assessment instrument for percentage energy from fat in an intervention study. Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(1S-III):193S-199S.
Greene, G. W., Resnicow, K., Peterson, K., Thompson, F. E., Hurley, T. G., Hebert, J. R., Toobert, D. J., Williams, G., Elliot, D. L. Sher, T.G., Domas, A., Midthune, D., Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, M., Yaroch, A.L., & Nebeling, L.. Correspondence of the NCI fruit and vegetable screener to repeat 24 hour recalls and serum carotenoids in behavioral intervention trials. Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(1S-III):200S-204S.
Davis, R.E., Resnicow, K., Atienza, A.A., Peterson, K.E., Domas, A., Hunt, A., Hurley, T.G., Yaroch, A.L., Greene, G.W., Sher, T.G., Williams, G.C., Hebert, J.R., Nebeling, L., Thompson, F.E., Toobert, D., Elliot, D.L., DeFrancesco, C., & Costello, R.B. Use of Signal Detection Methodology to Identify Subgroups of Dietary Supplement Use in Diverse Populations. Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(1S-III):205S-211S.
Williams, G.C., Hurley, T.G., Thompson, F.E., Midthune, D., Yaroch, A.L., Resnicow, K., Toobert, D.J., Greene, G.W., Peterson, K.E., Nebeling, L., Patrick, H., Hardin, J.W., Hebert, J.R. Performance of a short percentage of energy from fat tool in measuring change in dietary intervention studies. Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(1S-III):212S-217S.
Peterson, K.E., Hebert, J.R., Hurley, T.G., Resnicow, K., Thompson, F.E., Greene, G.W., Shaikh, A.R., Yaroch, A.L., Williams, G.C., Salkeld, J., Toobert, D.J., Domas, A., Elliot, D.L., Hardin, J., & Nebeling, L. Accuracy and precision of two short screeners to assess change in fruit and vegetable consumption among diverse populations participating in health promotion intervention trials. Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(1S-III):218S-225S.
Hebert, J.R., Hurley, T.G., Peterson, K.E., Resnicow, K., Thompson, F.E., Yaroch, A.L., Ehlers, M., Midthune, D., Williams, G.C., Greene, G.W., & Nebeling, L. Social desirability trait influences on self-reported dietary measures among diverse participants in a multi-center multiple risk factor trial. Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(1S-III):226S-234S.
Norman, G.J., Zabinski, M.F., Adams, M.A., Rosenberg, D.E., Yaroch, A.L., & Atienza, A.A. A review of e-health interventions for physical activity and dietary behavior change. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2007;33(4):336-345.
Mâsse, L. C., Chriqui, J.F., Igoe, J.F., Atienza, A.A., Kruger, J., Kohl III, H.W., Frosh, M., & Yaroch, A.L. Development of a Physical Education-related state policy classification system (PERSPCS). American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2007;33(4S):S264-S276.
Mâsse, L. C., Frosh, M., Chriqui, J. F., Yaroch, A. L., Agurs-Collins, T., Blanck, H. M., Atienza, A. A., McKenna, M. L., & Igoe, J. F. Development of a school nutrition-environment state policy classification system (SNESPCS). American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2007;33(4S):S277-S291.
Geller, A., Swetter, S., Brooks, K., Demierre, MF, & Yaroch, A.L. Screening and early detection for Melanoma status (2000-2006) and future directions. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2007;57(4):555-72; quiz 573-6.
Stryker, J.E., Yaroch, A.L., Moser, R., Glanz, K., & Atienza, A.A. Prevalence of sunless tanning product use and relation behaviors among adults in the United States: Results from a national survey. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2007;56(3):387-90.
Nebeling, L., Yaroch, A.L., Seymour, J.D., & Kimmons, J. Still not enough: Can we achieve our goals for Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables in the future? American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2007;32(4):356-357.
Johnson-Taylor, W., Yaroch, A.L., Krebs-Smith, S., & Rodgers, A. What can communication science tell us about promoting optimal dietary behavior? Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2007; 39(Supp 2):S1-4.
Fitzgibbon, M., Gans, K.M., Evans, W.G., Viswanath, K.V., Johnson-Taylor, W., Krebs-Smith, S.M., Rodgers, A.B., & Yaroch, A.L. Communicating healthy eating: Lessons learned and future directions. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2007; 39(Supp 2):S63-71.
Atienza, A. A., Yaroch, A.L., Mâsse L., Moser, R., Hesse, B., & King, A. C. Identifying the characteristics of sedentary groups using Signal Detection Methodology in the NCI Health Information National Trends Survey. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2006;31(5):383-390.
Reynolds, K.D., Buller, D.B., Yaroch, A.L., Maloy, J.A., & Cutter, G.R. Mediation of a middle school skin cancer prevention program. Health Psychology. 2006;25(5):616-625.
Fuemmeler, B. F., Mâsse, L. C., Yaroch, A. L., Resnicow, K., Campbell, M. K., Carr, C., & Wang, T. Psychosocial mediators in the Body and Soul effectiveness trial. Health Psychology. 2006;25(4):474-483.
Buller DB, Reynolds KD, Yaroch A.L., Cutter GR, Hines JM, Geno CR, Maloy JA, Brown M, Woodall WG, &Grandpre, J. Effects of sunny days, healthy ways curriculum on students in grades 6-8. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2006;30:13-22.
Yaroch, A. L., Reynolds, K. D., Buller, D. B., Maloy, J. A., & Geno, C. R. Validity of a sun safety diary using UV monitors in middle school children. Health Education & Behavior. 2006;33(3): 340-351.
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