Kim M. Gans

Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences

Primary Research Theme

Social-Ecological Systems

Secondary Research Themes

Built Environment, Healthy Cities

Recent Cities-related Projects

  • Improving nutrition and physical activity environments in home-based childcare: RCT studying the effectiveness of a multi- component intervention to support and empower family childcare providers (including Latinas) to improve the food and PA environments in their homes to improve the dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviors of the 2-5 year old children in their care. This grant also includes a Diversity supplement entitled Effect of Neighborhood Food Environments on Diet Quality of Preschool Children in Family Childcare Homes. This research is examining how the community food environment influences the diet quality of foods served in family childcare homes and the dietary quality of preschool children cared for in these homes.
  • Formative research to inform interventions for Latino parents of young children:  This academic-community partnership with Ready to Learn Providence will conduct formative research with Latino mothers and fathers of preschool children that will inform future childhood obesity interventions.
  • UConn InCHIP Community-Engaged Research Seed Grant, (Developing an Audit Tool for Food Swamp Environments: The FS-EAT Tool: The study will develop a content valid and reliable tool to measure food swamps.

Selected Urban-Related Publications

“Marcus BH, Dunsiger SI, Pekmezi D, Larsen BA, Marquez B, Bock BC, Gans KM, Morrow KM, Tilkemeier P. Twelve-month physical activity outcomes in Latinas in the Seamos Saludables Trial. Am J Prev Med.2015Feb;48(2):179-82. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2014.08.032. Epub 2014 Nov 6. PMID: 25442225

“Dominick GM, Dunsiger SI, Pekmezi DW, Larsen B, Marquez B, Nodora J, Gans KM, Marcus BH. Moderating Effects of Health Literacy on Change in Physical Activity among Latinas in a Randomized Trial. J of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. 2015:1-7 PMCID: PMC5064840, PMID: 26863464

“Tovar A, Risica P, Mena N, Lawson E, Ankoma A, Gans KM. An assessment of nutrition practices andattitudes in family child-care homes: implications for policy implementation. Prev Chronic Dis. 2015 Jun4;12:E88. doi: 10.5888/pcd12.140587. PubMed PMID: 26043303; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4456854.11/30/2019

Kim Gans | Human Development and Family Sciences https://hdfs.uconn.edu/person/kim-gans/ 3/4
“Marcus BH, Hartman SJ, Pekmezi D, Dunsiger SI, Linke S, Marquez B, Gans KM, Bock BC, Larsen BA, Rojas C. Using interactive Internet technology to promote physical activity in Latinas: Rationale, design, and baselinefindings of Pasos Hacia La Salud. Contemp Clin Trials. 2015 Aug 5. pii: S1551-7144(15)30063-X. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2015.08.004. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26255237.

“Tovar A, Mena NZ, Risica P, Gorham G, Gans KM. Nutrition and physical activity environments of home-basedchild care: What Hispanic providers have to say. Child Obes. 2015 Oct;11(5):521-9. doi:10.1089/chi.2015.0040. Epub 2015 Sep 2. PubMed PMID: 26332455. PMCID number in progress.
“Gans KM, Dulin-Keita A, Risica PM, Dawood M, Strolla L. Innovative video tailoring for dietary change: Final results of the Good For You! cluster randomized trial. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015, 12:130 PMID: 26445486, PMCID: PMC4596558

“Gorham G, Dionne L, Risica PM, Mello J, Papandonatos G, Gorham S, Dulin-Keita A, Gans KM. Effectiveness of Fresh to You, a discount fresh fruit and vegetable market in low-income neighborhoods, on children’s fruit and vegetable consumption, Rhode Island, 2010–2011. Prev Chronic Dis 2015;12:140583. PMID: 26469949, PMCID: PMC4611858.

“Gans KM, Salkeld J, Risica PM, Lenz, E, Burton D, Mello, J, Bell JP. Occupation is related to weight and lifestyle factors among employees at worksites involved in a weight gain prevention study. J Occup Environ Med. Volume 57(10), October 2015, p e114–e120.

“Marcus BH, Hartman SJ, Larsen BA, Pekmezi D, Dunsiger SI, Linke S, Marquez B, Gans KM, Bock BC, Mendoza-Vasconez AS, Noble ML, Rojas C. Pasos Hacia La Salud: a randomized controlled trial of an internet-delivered physical activity intervention for Latinas. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2016 13:62; DOI: 10.1186/s12966-016-0385-7; Published: 28 May 2016 PMID: 27234302, PMCID: PMC4884436

“Gans KM; Gorham G; Risica PM; Dulin-Keita A; Dionne L; Gao T; Peters S; Principato L. A multi-level intervention in subsidized housing sites to increase fruit and vegetable access and intake: Rationale, design and methods of the ‘Live Well, Viva Bien’ cluster randomized trial. BMC Public Health. 2016:June. 16:521, PMID: 27353149, PMCID: PMC4924350

“Eaton CB, Harman SJ, Schindler E, Panc G, Roberts MB, Risica PM, Gans KM, Jakicic JM, Marcus BH. A randomized clinical trial of a tailored lifestyle intervention for obese, sedentary patients in primary care:Choose To Lose translational research study. Annals of Family Medicine. July-August 2016;14:311-319. doi:10.1370/afm.1952.

“Dulin-Keita A; Whittaker S; Wynter J; Kidanu TW; Cardel M; Chhay C; Gans K. Applying concept mapping methodology to identify the perceptions of risk and protective factors for childhood obesity among Southeast Asian refugees. J Health Care Poor Underserved. November 2016;27(4):1909-1933. PMID: 27818447

“Hartman, S.J., Dunsiger, S., Bock, B.C., Larsen, B. A., Linke, S., Pekmezi, D., Marquez, B., Gans, K.M., Mendoza-Vasconez, A., & Marcus, B.H. (2017). Physical Activity Maintenance among Spanish-Speaking Latinas in a Randomized Controlled Trial of an Internet-based Intervention. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2017 Jun;40(3):392-402 PMID: 27752866, PMCID: PMC5393970

“Hughes BL, Gans KM, Raker C, Hipolito ER, Rouse DJ. A Brief Prenatal Intervention of Behavioral Change to Reduce the Risk of Maternal Cytomegalovirus: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Oct;130(4):726-734. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002216. PubMed PMID: 28885428.

“Marquez B, Norman G, Fowler x, Gans KM, Marcus B. Egocentric networks and physical activity outcomes in Latinas. PLOS One. In Press.

Gans KM, Dulin-Keita A, Gorham G. Final results of Live Well, Viva Bien: A randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of an innovative fruit and vegetable market and educational program in subsidized housingprojects. In Press. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-018-0704-2. Published: August 20, 2018”