About the Group

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In the Energy Balance research group, we examine how the local environment influences human health. Members of this group have been working together for over 15 years on the issue of how the built environment combines with family history to impact health outcomes such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).  

Our research leverages the Utah Population Database (UPDB) and national datasets such as NHANES and NLSY. Within these datasets, the UPDB is an unparalleled resource containing demographic, genealogical, and medical/clinical information on nearly the entire Utah population, both historic and contemporary.

Our research has identified positive impacts of walkability and high-quality food environments for promoting health and well-being. Our work deploys a variety of sampling strategies and statistical techniques to ensure that any benefits of a walkable environment do not simply reflect the possibility that healthy people choose to live in walkable places (view final report for NIDDK R21).*