about me

Dr. Widen's interdisciplinary research program is at the nexus of nutrition sciences and pediatric, perinatal and life course epidemiology. The ultimate goal of Dr. Widen's research program is to improve the health and livelihood of mothers and their children.

In her work, Dr. Widen integrates advanced body composition assessment methods, including imaging, and quantitative methods, including nonparametric trajectory modeling and structural equation modeling.

Specific areas of interest include:

- The role of maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation on short- and long-term maternal and child health, and the health of subsequent generations

- Determining how and when to intervene to improve maternal and child nutrition in the context of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa

Publications

Hoepner L, Whyatt R, Widen E, Diurka D, Calafat A, Perera F, Rundle R. Bisphenol A and childhood body size outcomes in an inner-city cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP205

Widen E, Whyatt R, Hoepner L, Ramirez-Carvey J, Mueller N, Oberfield S, Hassoun A, Perera F, Gallagher D, Rundle A. Excessive gestational weight gain is associated with postpartum weight retention and adiposity in African American and Dominican mothers in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. December 2015; 102 (6): 1460-1467.

Widen E, Factor-Litvak P, Gallagher D, Paxton A, Pierson R, Heymsfield S, Lederman S. The pattern of gestational weight gain is associated with changes in maternal body composition and neonatal size. Matern Child Health J. July 2015. 10.1007/s10995-015-1747-5.

Widen E, Bentley M, Chasela C, Kayira D, Flax V, Kourtis A, Ellington S, Kacheche Z, Tegha G, Jamieson D, van der Horst C, Allen L, Shahab-Ferdows S, Adair L for the BAN Study Team. Antiretroviral prophylaxis is associated with iron deficiency that is mitigated with supplementation in HIV-infected Malawian women, but is not associated with infant iron deficiency. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. July 2015;69(3):319-328).

Mueller NT, Whyatt R, Hoepner L, Oberfield S, Dominguez-Bello M, Widen E, Hassoun A, Perera F, Rundle A. Prenatal exposure to antibiotics, cesarean section, and risk of childhood obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015 Apr;39(4):665-70.

Widen E, Whyatt R, Hoepner L, Ramirez-Carvey J, Oberfield S, Hassoun A, Perera F, Gallagher D, Rundle A. Gestational weight gain and obesity, adiposity and body size in African American and Dominican children in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan. Matern Child Nutr. March 5 2015. doi: 10.1111/mcn.12174

Widen E, Gallagher D. Body composition changes in pregnancy: measurement, predictors and outcomes. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jun;68(6):643-52.

Widen E, Strain G, King W, Yu W, Lin S, Goodpaster B, Thornton J, Courcoulas A, Pomp A, Gallagher D. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (Tanita 310) estimates of changes in total body water and percent body fat following bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2014 Jun;24(6):847-54.

Widen E, Bentley M, Kayira D, Chasela C, Daza E, Kacheche Z, Tegha G, Jamieson D, Kourtis A, van der Horst C, Allen L, Shahab-Ferdows S, Adair L for the BAN Study Team. Changes in soluble transferrin receptor and hemoglobin concentrations in Malawian mothers are associated with those values in their exclusively breastfed, HIV-exposed infants. J Nutr. 2014 Mar;144(3):367-74.

Widen E, Bentley M, Kayira D, Chasela C, Jamieson D, Tembo M, Soko A, Kourtis A, Flax V, Ellington S, van der Horst C, Adair L on behalf of the BAN Study team. Maternal weight loss during exclusive breastfeeding is associated with reduced weight and length gain in daughters of HIV-infected Malawian women. J Nutr. 2013 Jul;143(7):1168-75.

Widen E, Siega-Riz AM. Prenatal Nutrition: A practical guide to assess and counsel women on diet. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2010 Nov-Dec;55(6):540-549.