Associate Professor, APH - Health Behaviors & Chronic Diseases Associate Professor, APH - Societal Participation & Health Associate Professor, Prevention and Public Health

Specialization

Focus of research

Research focuses on integrated research of upstream and downstream determinants of behavioural change aimed at improving a healthy lifestyle and preventing overweight and obesity in children, adolescents and their families. Research methods include epidemiological research, systems approaches as well as qualitative methods such as focus groups and participatory action research. Research settings are real-life (families, schools, neighbourhoods, youth health care) and projects usually integrate research, practice and policy.

  • Deskundigheidsbevordering van Gezonde Schooladviseurs: Naar context-gestuurde adaptatie van het implementatieproces.

  • Charge your Brainzzz 2.0: evaluation of a co-created healthy sleep intervention for adolescents using a complex systems approach

  • In the neighborhood, with the neighborhood and for the neighborhood: an effect and learning process evaluation of an Integrated Neighborhood Approach to prevent childhood overweight

  • Lifestyle and healthcare Innovations based on youths’ Knowledge and Experience (LIKE-project),

  • Twelve years Zwolle Healthy City; explaining and strengthening the keys to success in policy and practice with focus on target group participation.

  • SMARTsize@Work: A combination of a weight management program and nudging in the company cafeteria

  • Effectiveness of existing policies for lifestyle interventions within the Policy Evaluation Network (PEN) Work Package 6: Policy in practice.

  • Creating a healthy school community by sound teamwork 

  • Implementation and Evaluation of the Netherlands Nutrition Centre Guidelines for Healthier Canteens in secondary schools in the Netherlands 

  • Integrated community-based approaches to prevent childhood overweight and obesity. From appraising complex programmes to tackling health inequalities 

  • Evaluation of integrated community-wide intervention approaches to prevent overweight in children. Supportive tools and critical success factors to programme evaluation performance.   

  • Development of the canteen scan, a tool for assessment of the food environment at schools, sport clubs and work 

  • Intensive inpatient treatment for severely obese children and adolescents: costs and effects 

  • A tool to estimate costs of a health in all policies approach to prevent overweight in children and adolescents 

  • Perspectives on the encouragement of healthy energy balance related behaviour in the school environment 

  • Overweight in 5-year-old children: Assessment and risk factors:’ the be active, eat right study’ 

  • Parenting and home environment as target in childhood overweight prevention: Results from the ChecKid study 

  • Promotion of a healthy weight and lifestyle among children:’ the be active, eat right study' 

  • The Terneuzen birth cohort. Early detection and prevention of overweight and cardiometabolic risk