Research / Clinical
Summary
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Diseases/Research Topics
Cancer prevention and control, Nutrition, Tobacco, Physical Activity, Obesity
James F. Sallis, Ph.D., received his doctorate in clinical psychology in 1981 from Memphis State University and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention. He is currently Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, and directs the Active Living Research Program for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The overarching focus of his research is concerned with applying behavioral science to physical activity promotion, although he also studies nutrition and smoking. His current research focus is understanding how policies and physical environments shape physical activity and eating behaviors.
Current Studies:
From 2001-2005 Dr. Sallis directed the Neighborhood Quality of Life Study (NQLS), a 4-year NHLBI-funded study to identify environmental correlates of physical activity. This observational study of 2,200 adults aged 20-65 randomly selected from 32 neighborhoods in two regions of the U.S. developed new paradigms and measures for studying built environment associations with health behaviors.
Dr. Sallis is co-leading several other ongoing studies that have built on the NQLS methodology. The Neighborhood Quality of Life Study for Seniors is examining built environment associations with physical activity, functional status, and quality of life among older adults aged 65 and above (NHLBI, 2004-2008, PI is Abby King of Stanford University).
The Neighborhood Impact on Kids (NIK) study is assessing how built environment and food environment variables explain BMI gain over two years in children aged 6-11 years (NIEHS, 2005-2010, PI is Brian Saelens of University of Washington).
A separate grant is funding measurement of health behaviors among the parents of children in NIK, so the environmental correlates of changes in adults’ diet, physical activity, and BMI can be evaluated (USDA, 2007-2011, PI is Karen Glanz of Emory University).
As Director of the Active Living Research program for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dr. Sallis has been managing a $12.5 million research fund since 2001. Active Living Research supports research to identify environmental factors and policies that influence physical activity. The primary goals are to fund studies to build an evidence base that can be used to inform policy and practice in multiple sectors of society. Active Living Research is part of the Foundation’s major commitment to reversing the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. www.activelivingresearch.org
Dr. Sallis and his colleagues have developed evidence-based health promotion interventions delivered through health care settings (www.paceproject.org) and schools (www.sparkpe.org), and they are working to disseminate these programs so they are used widely in practice to improve physical activity and nutrition. He is a frequent consultant to government agencies, research programs, health organizations, and corporations throughout the world.
Dr. Sallis is PI of a study of neighborhood environments, physical activity, and BMI among adolescents aged 12 to 16 (NHLBI, 2007-2011).
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