Donna Spruijt-Metz Associate Professor of Research Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Keck School of Medicine

Education:
BFA 1974 Music - California Institute of the Arts, California
MFA 1976 Flute (Performance) - California Institute of the Arts, California
MFA 1980 Flute (Pedagogy) - Royal Conservatory Den Haag, The Netherlands
BS 1986 Psychology - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BS 1986 Psychology - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BS 1986 Psychology - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BS 1986 Psychology - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BS 1986 Psychology - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BS 1986 Psychology - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BS 1986 Psychology - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MS 1991 Psychology (Research Methods) - University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
PhD 1996 Adolescent Health/Medical Ethics - Free University, Amsterdam
MFA 2008 Creative Writing - Otis College of Art and Design
MFA 2008 Creative Writing - Otis College of Art and Design
MFA 2008 Creative Writing - Otis College of Art and Design
MFA 2008 Creative Writing - Otis College of Art and Design

Started at USC: 1999

Research Topics: Cancer Prevention/Epidemiology, Developmental Biology, Diabetes/Metabolic Diseases, Disease Prevention

Research Description

Spruijt-Metz's research focuses on pediatric obesity, human motivation and adolescent health, particularly in the areas of diet and physical activity. Why do adolescents participate in behaviors that they know may negatively impact their health and well being (such as eating junk food), and shun behaviors that they know might help them reach their personal goals (such as physical activity)? Current studies include a longitudinal study of the impact of puberty on insulin dynamics, mood and physical activity in African American and Latina girls. This study is funded by NCI and is part of the USC Center for Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer. Another ongoing study looks at the acute impact of simple carbohydrate versus complex carbohydrate meals on behavior, insulin dynamics, select gut peptides, and psychosocial measures in our unique observation laboratory. We are currently developing a mobile body area network to measure physical activity, stress, location, diet, heart rate and other indices in a bluetooth enabled system together with colleagues from Viterbi School of Engineering. We are also interested in how stress effects the lives of adolescents. Intervention modalities that we are exploring with colleagues in Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics include Guided Imagery and motivational interviewing in combination with home-based and group based nutrition and physical activity interventions. Our work is funded by NIDDK, NCCAM, NCMHD and NCI.