Deborah I Thompson

Deborah I Thompson, PhD, RD

Professor

(713) 798-7076

Email

Deborah.Thompson@usda.gov

Positions

Professor: Pediatrics-Nutrition
��Ƶ of Medicine
Houston, TX, US

Research Nutritionist: USDA-ARS
Children’s Nutrition Research Center
Houston, Texas, United States

Research Member: Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
��Ƶ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

Faculty Member: Biomedical Research Base
Baylor Diabetes Research Center
Houston, Texas, United States

Faculty Affiliate: Kinder Institute for Urban Research
Urban Health Program
Rice University
Houston, Texas, United States

Education

PhD from University of New Orleans: 12/1999 - New Orleans, Louisiana, United States; Curriculum & Instruction, Human Performance & Health Promotion

MS from University of North Carolina at Greensboro: 12/1984 - Greensboro, North Carolina, United States; Nutrition

BS from University of North Carolina at Greensboro: 12/1982 - Greensboro, North Carolina, United States; Nutrition

Certifications

Marketing Communications Certification: University of Houston

Focus Group Moderator Training, Richard Kreuger: University of South Florida

Honors & Awards

Borlaug CAST Communications Prize Nominee: US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service (01/2024)

Plains Area Scientific Leadership Team: USDA/ARS (08/2020)

Plains Area Senior Research Scientist of the Year: USDA/ARS (02/2020)

Research Mentorship Award, Professor Level: ��Ƶ of Medicine (07/2018)

Fellow: Dannon Academic Mid-Career Nutrition Leadership Institute (01/2012 - 12/2012)

Finalist, Future Leader Award: International Life Sciences Institute North America (ILSI NA) (01/2010)

Professional Interests

Behavioral Nutrition
Physical Activity
Obesity Prevention
Diabetes Prevention/Management
Behavioral Theory
Children
Adolescents
Technology

Professional Statement

My research focuses on the prevention of youth obesity and related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, through the promotion of healthy diet and physical activity. Specifically, my work can be placed into one of three categories – theory and measurement, to guide and accurately assess change; health message design to ensure developmentally and culturally appropriate intervention messages that resonate with the intended audience; and design, development, and evaluation of interventions promoting health diet and physical activity behaviors. Much of my intervention work focuses on understanding how to use digital media to reach youth in ways that encourage and maintain behavior change. To achieve these goals, I have developed an expertise in qualitative methods and have conducted ~100 trainings in qualitative techniques since 2001. Further, my intervention work has a firm theoretical grounding, and I have written and spoken nationally and internationally on the use of behavioral theory in technology-based interventions. I have a history of successfully conducting technology-based research and managing large, interdisciplinary research teams. I am also an experienced mentor and have successfully mentored numerous individuals (college to mid-career faculty) to help them acquire and/or refine research skills. In recognition of my contributions, in 2020 I received a Scientist of the Year award from USDA and in 2018, I was awarded the Research Mentorship Award, Professor Level from ��Ƶ of Medicine.

Websites

Debbe Thompson Lab

Selected Publications

Thompson D, Callender C, Velazquez D, Adera M, Dave JM, Olvera N, Chen TA, Goldsworthy N. " " Children (Basel). 2021 ; 8 (3) : 236.
Pubmed PMID: .
Hilliard ME, Marrero DG, Minard CG, Cao VT, de Wit M, DuBose SN, Verdejo A, Jaser SS, Monzavi R, Shah VN, Wadwa RP, Weinstock RS, Thompson D, Anderson BJ. " " Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2020 ; [Online ahead of print] : doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2020.108537.
Pubmed PMID: .
Moreno JP, Crowley SJ, Alfano CA, Thompson D. " " Obes Rev. 2020 ; 21 (3) : e12972.
Pubmed PMID: .
Thompson DI, Cantu D, Callender C, Liu Y, Rajendran M, Rajendran M, Zhang Y, Deng Z. " " Games Health J. 2018 ; 7 (2) : 143-50.
Pubmed PMID: .
Thompson D, Bhatt R, Vazquez I, Cullen KW, Baranowski J, Baranowski T, Liu Y. " " Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2015 ; 12 : 39.
Pubmed PMID: .

Memberships

American Dietetic Association/Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics

International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Society of Behavioral Medicine

Funding

Using Community Engaged Research to Develop Content for a Digital Obesity Prevention Intervention for Teens Living in Rural Texas Communities #58-3092-5-008: $550,000.00 (10/01/2024 - 09/30/2029); Grant funding from USDA/ARS; The purpose of this research is to conduct community engaged research with teens living in rural Texas communities to develop an obesity prevention program promoting healthy diet and physical activity behaviors.

Reducing obesity through play: A randomized control trial #R01 HD114793: $3,209,892.00 (09/01/2024 - 05/31/2029); Grant funding from NIH-NICHD; This study will test whether a playgroup intervention improves diet and activity behaviors of toddlers to a greater extent than no treatment or standard health education for parents.

Identifying clinic barriers and facilitators affecting the implementation of a mobile app-based treatment for disorders of gut-brain interaction in children #R03DK134789: $240,750.00 (04/01/2024 - 03/31/2026); Grant funding from NIH-NIDDK; This implementation science (ImS) proposal aims to develop a comprehensive implementation intervention to direct pediatric clinic personnel on (1) how to identify children at high risk for disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), (2) diagnose affected children with a DGBI, and (3) prescribe and dispense our audio-recorded guided imagery therapy mobile app (ARGIT App) to affected children.

Leveraging passive objective assessment methods of preschooler’s media use to examine multiple paths of influence on sleep, executive function and weight status – Admin-Core-001 #1 P01 HD109876-01: $455,815.00 (09/01/2022 - 08/31/2027); Grant funding from NIH/NICHD; The goal of this subproject is to provide administrative support to the overall program.

Leveraging passive objective assessment methods of preschooler’s media use to examine multiple paths of influence on sleep, executive function and weight status - Project 001 #1 P01 HD109876-01: $1,431,657.00 (09/01/2022 - 08/31/2027); Grant funding from NIH/NICHD; This subproject will assess whether children’s use of screen media influences their sleep and weight status and if sleep mediates this association.

Super Chef: Family Fun in the Kitchen #R34 HL163376-01: $656,909.00 (07/01/2022 - 06/30/2026); Grant funding from NIH/NHLBI; The Research Question guiding the proposed research: Is Super Chef: Family Fun in the Kitchen, a theory-based online gamified cooking intervention promoting the Mediterranean Diet and food parenting practices to parent/child dyads, a feasible method for increasing home food preparation and improving dietary intake in 10-12 year old children living in low-income households? Our goal is to conduct formative research with representative parent/child dyads to obtain information needed to refine existing intervention content and structure and create the prototype and assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy with parent/child dyads.

Smart Eating Active Living (SEAL): A Comprehensive SNAP-Ed Initiative for Texans #HHS001018600002: $536,544.00 (10/01/2021 - 09/30/2026); Grant funding from State of Texas - Department of Health and Human Services; The objective of the proposed project is to implement Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) across 18 counties in Texas using the Smart Eating Active Living (SEAL) program. SEAL will empower children, adolescents, adults, seniors and communities through evidence-based nutrition programs to promote healthy eating and physical activity behaviors and food resource management strategies along with implementing policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change initiatives (social media, social marketing, etc.). Through direct education programs, PSE change initiatives, and social marketing campaigns, SEAL aims to make a positive difference in the lives of limited resource individuals and families across TX, and Texans at large.

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