Prof. Christina Economos, PhD

Tufts University

Christina Economos, PhD, is a Professor, the New Balance Chair in Childhood Nutrition, and Chair of the Division of Nutrition Interventions, Communication, & Behavior Change, at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and Medical School at Tufts University. She is also the co-Founder and Director of ChildObesity180, a unique organization that brings together leaders from diverse disciplines to generate urgency, and find solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic. ChildObesity180 merges the best in nutrition and public health research and practice with the expertise and experience of business, government, and nonprofit leaders.

As the principal investigator of large-scale research studies, Dr. Economos has generated over $50 million in funding, has authored more than 150 scientific publications and speaks frequently at scientific and professional meetings. At ChildObesity180 she develops, implements, evaluates, and scales high-impact obesity prevention initiatives. To date, the portfolio of ChildObesity180’s work has reached over 11 million children in all 50 states. She led the Shape Up Somerville study demonstrating that it is possible to reduce excess weight gain in children through multiple leverage points within an entire community. Currently she leads the Shape Up Under 5 study designed to bring children to kindergarten with health habits that support their growth and learning.

Dr. Economos is involved in national obesity and public health activities and has served on four National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committees. In addition, she served on the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health. She has been featured in numerous media outlets including CNN, NBC Nightly News, The Wall Street Journal, and Newsweek. Dr. Economos received a Bachelor of Science from Boston University, a Master of Science in Applied Physiology and Nutrition from Columbia University and a Doctorate in Nutritional Biochemistry from Tufts University.