Associate Professor

Department:
Health and Human Performance
Understanding Neighborhood Determinants of Obesity

Office Number: 104E GAR

Phone/Fax:
(713) 743-9335 , (713) 743-9860  (Fax)

Email: releephd@yahoo.com

Home Page:
http://hhp.uh.edu/undo

Research Interests:

Dr. Rebecca Lee's research on is anchored in an ecological framework that incorporates environmental and individual determinants of physical activity, dietary habits and obesity prevention in ethnic minority and underserved populations. Her work combines theory and techniques drawn from behavioral medicine, community psychology, geography, policy science, social ecology and social marketing. Dr. Lee is the Principal Investigator on two grants funded to examine the obesogenic capacity of public housing developments and neighborhoods in Kansas City, KS and MO. Dr. Lee is a co-investigator on Dr. Carlos Poston's NIH-funded grant to examine area of residence and obesity in Kansas City neighborhoods, and a co-investigator on Dr. Terry Huang's AHA funded grant to examine correlates and biomarkers of obesity in college students.

Dr. Lee is also the director of The Texas Obesity Research Center.

Recent Publications:

Furia A, Lee RE, Stother ML, Huang T. Motivation to maintain healthy weight among college students. Journal of College Health. 2008. (In press).

Heinrich KM, Lee RE, Regan GR, Reese-Smith J, Howard HH, Haddock CK, Poston WSC. Ahluwalia JS. How does the built environment relate to BMI and obesity prevalence among public housing residents? American Journal of Health Promotion. 2008; 22:187-94.

Froehlich-Grobe K, Regan GR, Reese-Smith J, Booth-Heinrich KM, Lee RE. Physical access in urban public housing facilities. Disability and Health Journal. 2008. 1:25-29.

Huang T TK , Delancey B, Shimel A, Lee RE, Stother ML, Metabolic risks among college students: Prevalence and gender differences, Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders. 2007, 5(4): 365-372.

Lee RE, Greiner KA, Hall S, Born W, Kimminau K, Allison A, Ahluwalia JS. Ecological correlates of obesity in rural obese adults. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2007. 26(5):424-33.

Heinrich KM, Lee RE, Suminski RR, Regan GR, Reese-Smith J, Howard HH, Haddock CK, Poston WSC. Ahluwalia JS. Associations between the built environment and physical activity in public housing residents. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2007. 4 (1):56.

Lee RE, Cubbin C, Winkleby M. Contribution of neighbourhood socioeconomic status and physical activity resources to physical activity among women. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2007 Oct;61(10):882-90.

Buckworth J, Lee RE, Schneider LK, Regan G, DiClemente CC. Decomposing Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation for Exercise. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2007; 8: 441-461.

Carroll SL, Lee RE, Kaur H, Harris KJ, Strother ML, Huang TTK. Smoking, Weight Loss Intention and Obesity-Promoting Behaviors in College Students. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2006 25, 348–353.

Regan GR, Lee RE, Booth KM, Reese-Smith J. Obesogenic influences in public housing: A mixed method analysis. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2006;20:282-90.

Lee RE, Booth KM, Reese-Smith J, Regan GR, Howard HH. The Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) Instrument: Evaluating Features, Amenities and Incivilities of Physical Activity Resources in Urban Neighborhoods. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2005 14;2:13.

Li C, Kaur H, Choi WS, Huang TT-K, Lee RE, Ahluwalia JS. Additive interactions of maternal prepregnancy body mass index and breastfeeding on childhood overweight risk. Obesity Research. 2005; 13: 362-371.

Lee RE, Harris KJ, Catley D, Shostrom V, Choi S, Okuyemi K, Kaur H, Ahluwalia JS. Factors Associated with BMI, Weight Perceptions and Trying to Lose Weight in African American Smokers. Journal of the National Medical Association. 2005; 97:53-61.

Huang TT, Kempf AM, Strother ML, Li C, Lee RE, Harris KJ, Kaur H. Overweight and components of the metabolic syndrome in college students. Diabetes Care. 2004; 27: 3000-3001.

Pulvers KM, Lee RE, Kaur H, Mayo MS, Fitzgibbon ML, Jeffries SK, Butler J, Hou Q, Ahluwalia JS. Development of a Culturally-Relevant Body Image Instrument among Urban African Americans. Obesity Research. 2004; 12(10):1641-1651.

Collins R, Lee RE, Albright CL, King AC. Ready to be Physically Active? The effects of a course preparing low income multiethnic women to be more physically active. Health Education & Behavior. 2004; 31:47-64.

Anis NA, Lee RE, Ellerbeck EF, Nazir,N, Greiner, K.A., Ahluwalia, J.S. Direct observation of physician counseling on dietary habits and exercise: patient, physician, and office correlates. Preventive Medicine. 2004; 38:198-202.

Huang TTK, Harris KJ, Lee RE, Nazir N, Born W, Kaur H. Assessing overweight, obesity, diet, and physical activity in college students. Journal of American College Health. 2003; 52:83-86.

Resnicow K, McCarty F, Blisset D, Wang T, Heitzler C, Lee RE. Validity of a modified CHAMPS physical activity questionnaire among African Americans. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2003; 35:1537-1545.

Lee RE & King AC. Discretionary time among older adults: How do physical activity promotion programs affect sedentary and active discretionary time behaviors? Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2003; 25:112-119.

Spence J, & Lee RE. Toward a comprehensive model of physical activity. Psychology of Sports and Exercise. 2003; 4:7-24.

Ribisl KM, & Lee RE, Henriksen L, Haladjian H. A content analysis of web sites promoting smoking culture and lifestyle. Health Education and Behavior. 2003; 30:64-78.

Estabrooks PA, Lee RE, Gyurcsik NC. Resources for physical activity participation: Does availability and accessibility differ by neighborhood SES. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2003; 25:100-104.

Lee RE & Cubbin C. Neighborhood context and cardiovascular health behaviors in youth. American Journal of Public Health. 2002; 92(3):428-436.

Lee RE, Nigg C, Courneya K, & DiClemente CC. Validating the stage of exercise behavior change for adolescents. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 2001; 72 (4): 401-410.

Lee RE, Feighery E, Schleicher N, & Halvorson S. How do community self service tobacco display bans impact store environment and how does the store environment impact merchants? American Journal of Public Health. 2001; 91:2019-2021.

Lee RE, Goldberg J, Sallis JF, Castro CM, Hickmann SA, & Chen AH. A prospective analysis of the relationship between walking and mood in sedentary ethnic minority women. Women and Health. 2001; 32 (4): 1-15.

Feighery EC, Ribisl KM, Schleicher N, Lee RE, & Halvorson S. Cigarette advertising and promotional strategies in retail outlets: results of a statewide survey in California. Tobacco Control. 2001; 10:184-188.

Castro CM, Sallis JF, Hickmann SA, Lee RE, & Chen AH. Psychosocial mediators of physical activity for sedentary ethnic minority women. Psychology and Health. 1999; 14:277-293.

Hickmann SA, Lee RE, Sallis JF, Castro CM, & Chen AH. The association of physical activity change with self-esteem in minority women: A prospective analysis. Journal of Gender, Culture, and Health. 1999; 4:281-292.

Chen AH, Sallis JF, Castro CM, Lee RE, & Hickmann SA. A telephone and mail-based intervention to promote walking in sedentary ethnic minority women:" Project WALK. Women's Health. 1998; 4 (1):19-39.

Lee RE, McGinnis KA, Sallis JF, Castro CM, Chen AH, & Hickmann SA. Active vs. passive methods of recruiting ethnic minority women to a health promotion program. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 1997; 19:378-384.

Shaw WS, Cronan TE, Lee RE, & Kaplan RM. Health care satisfaction among older people with osteoarthritis. Psychology and Health. 1996; 11:395-409.

Education:

B.A. in Psychology , San Diego State University, 1992.
M.A. in Psychology, San Diego State University, 1994.
Ph.D. in Human Services Psychology, dual emphasis of Community Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1998.