Dr. Jamie Zoellner is a Professor and Registered Dietitian in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Virginia where she provides leadership for the Community-Based Health Equity Research Program. She also serves as the Co-Program Lead for the Cancer Prevention and Population Health (CPH) program for UVA’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and is leading efforts to expand the research and outreach mission across Virginia and beyond. Her research includes engaging medically underserved areas in community-based participatory research (CBPR) and discovering solutions to the causes and consequences of limited health literacy. She focuses on lifestyle risk factors (i.e., diet and physical activity) that have direct relevance to obesity and cancer prevention efforts. She is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and serves on the journal’s Board of Editors, the Research Committee, and STATS Committee.
Dr. Zoellner has several funded research projects including those targeting sugar-sweetened beverage behaviors among rural Appalachian residents, childhood obesity treatment, colorectal cancer screening, and building capacity for rural cancer control in southwest Virginia. Collectively, her research involves developing the capacity of health and community systems in rural regions to adopt and sustain evidence-based programs.
- Ph.D., Colorado State University, Food Science & Human Nutrition;
- M.S., The Chicago Medical School, Nutrition;
- B.S., University of Missouri, Columbia, Food Science & Human Nutrition/Medical Dietetics
Department of Public Health Sciences
P.O. Box 800717
Charlottesville, VA 22908-0717
Cancer Center without Walls at the UVA Cancer Center
16 East Main Street
Christiansburg, VA 24073
Tel: 434-962-4488
Email: [email protected]
Expertise: Obesity and related behaviors; Cancer prevention and early detection; Community-based participatory research; Rural health; Health equity and disparities; Health literacy
Research Interests: Lifestyle interventions targeting obesity-related behaviors; Digital health; Effectiveness trials targeting medically under severed areas; Implementation research; Translational research
Current Extramural Funding
R01 National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute. “weSIPsmarter: An adaptation and efficacy trial to evaluate a behaviorally based digital health intervention aimed at reducing sugary drinks among rural Head Start preschoolers and their parents.” $4,034,972. 02/01/24 – 01/31/29.
- Overall goal: The weSIPsmarter digital intervention is a highly interactive, structured program consisting of multiple evidence-based behavioral change components, including use of ecological momentary assessment to encourage self-monitoring of beverage behaviors and parenting feeding practices, action planning, a resource help line, and drinking water vouchers for families with concerns related to in-home tap water quality.
This cluster RCT includes 12 Head Start centers across defined rural areas (i.e., RUCC 4-9) in Appalachia and the southern Black Belt. Guided by RE-AIM framework, the trial includes a 2 group cluster RCT design [weSIPsmarter vs. control] with 3 assessment (pre, 9-week post, and 12-month follow-up) periods. An average of 31 parent-child dyads per cluster (total of 372 parent-child dyads) will be enrolled. The primary goal is to evaluate the efficacy of weSIPsmarter and sugary drink consumption is the primary outcome. Changes in secondary outcomes will also be evaluated, including parent-child dyad outcomes (e.g., diet quality, water, BMI, QOL, behavioral theory constructs) and maintenance at 12-months post intervention. Additional secondary aims include to examine reach, describe parent engagement, and apply a mixed-methods process evaluation to evaluate adoption and implementation among Head Starts.
Jeffress Memorial Trust. “Improving Implementation of Evidenced-Based Colorectal Screening Practices in a Multisite Federally Qualified Health Center in Appalachia Virginia.” $598,718. 06/2022 – 06/2025.
- Overall goal: This project focuses on advancing health equity and improving colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in southwestern Appalachia Virginia.
R01 National Institutes of Health/National Institutes of Minority Health and Health Disparities. “iSIPsmarter: An RCT to evaluate the efficacy, reach, and engagement of a technology-based behavioral and health literacy intervention to reduce sugary beverages among rural Appalachian adults,” 04/20/20-12/30/25.
- Overall goal: This RCT is guided by the RE-AIM framework and targets 244 adults from rural Appalachia. The overall goal is to examine the efficacy of iSIPsmarter in improving sugary beverage intake using a 2 group design [iSIPsmarter vs. static Patient Education website]. Secondary and tertiary aims are to: a) assess changes in secondary outcomes (e.g. overall dietary quality, weight, quality of life) and maintenance of outcomes at 6- and 18-months post intervention, b) examine reach and representativeness, c) explore patterns of user engagement, d) determine costs, and e) apply a systems-level, participatory process to understand context for future organizational-level adoption of iSIPsmarter.
R01 National Institutes of Health/National Institutes of Minority Health and Health Disparities. “Kids SIPsmartER: A multi-level behavioral and health literacy intervention to reduce sugar-sweetened beverages among Appalachian middle-school students,” 5/02/2018–12/31/2024.
- Overall Goal: To determine the effectiveness of Kids SIPsmartER in improving sugar-sweetened beverages behaviors among 7th grade students. Secondary aims are to determine (1) changes in secondary student outcomes (e.g. quality of life, BMI z-score, theory-related variables, health and media literacy), (2) changes in caregiver SSB behaviors and home environment, (3) maintenance of outcomes at 19-months post-baseline, (4) assess the reach and representativeness of Kids SIPsmartER, among students and caregivers, and (5) implementation, adoption, and maintenance among teachers and schools.
Recently Completed Extramural Funding
R56 National Institutes of Health/ National Institute of Nursing Research. “A novel sugar-sweetened beverage reduction intervention for Native American men,” 09/01/20-8/31/22.
PCORI Eugene Washington Engagement Contract. “Cancer Center without Walls: Advancing Patient-Centered Research for Cancer Control in Rural VA,” 09/01/18-08/31/20.
Integrated Translational Health Research Institute of Virginia (iTHRIV). “Building Capacity to Implement and Evaluate Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening in a Community Health Center,” 7/15/19-1/31/20.
Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). “A randomized-controlled trial to compare the reach, effectiveness and maintenance of two family-based childhood obesity treatment programs in a medically underserved region,” 06/01/2017-08/31/20.
P30 National Institutes of Health/ National Cancer Institute. “Building research capacity to improve colorectal cancer screening in rural Southwest Virginia Clinics,” 10/01/18-09/30/19.
R21 National Institutes of Health/ National Cancer Institute. “SIPsmartER Southwest Virginia: A systems-based approach to disseminate and implement an effective sugar-sweetened beverage reduction intervention,” 04/01/16-09/30/18.
Link to publications:
Selected recent publications:
- Zoellner J, You W, Porter K, Kirkpatrick B, Reid A, Brock D, Chow P, Ritterband L. Kids SIPsmartER reduces sugar-sweetened beverages among Appalachian middle-school students and their caregivers: a cluster randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 21(46), 2024.
- Zoellner J, Porter K, Thatcher E, Brauns M, Allanson D. Improving Fecal Immunochemical Test Return Rates: A Colorectal Cancer Screening Quality Improvement Project in a Multi-Site Federally Qualified Health Center. Health Promotion Practice, 24(4):740-754, 2023.
- Brock DJ, Yuhas M, Ritterband L, Chow P, Porter K, Zoellner J. Outcomes of a caregiver-focused short message service (SMS) intervention to reduce intake of sugar-sweetened beverages in rural caregivers and adolescents. Nutrients. 18(8), 1957, 2023.
- Zoellner J, Reid AL, Porter KJ, Frederick C, Hilgart M, Ritterband LM. Development of a Digital Behavioral Intervention to Reduce Sugar-Sweetened Beverages among Rural Appalachian Adults: A Multi-Phased, Human-Centered Design Approach. JMIR Human Factors, 10:e41262, 2023.
- Zoellner J, Porter K, You W, Reid A, Frederick C, Hilgart M, Brock D, Tate D, Ritterband L. Study protocol for iSIPsmarter: A randomized-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy, reach, and engagement of a technology-based behavioral intervention to reduce sugary beverages among rural Appalachian adults. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 110, 2021.
- Zoellner J, You W, Hill JL, Brock DB, Yuhas M, Price B, Wilson J, Montague DR, Estabrooks PA. Comparing two different family-based childhood obesity treatment programmes in a medically underserved region: Effectiveness, engagement and implementation outcomes from a randomized controlled trial. Pediatric Obesity, Aug 15:e12840, 2021.
- Zoellner J, Porter, Brock D, Mitchell, E, Chapman H, Clarkston D, Cohn W, Hauser L, Morris D, Ramey S, Robinson B, Schriefer S, Voges N Wiseman K. Advancing engagement and capacity for rural cancer control: A mixed-methods case study of a Community-Academic Advisory Board in the Appalachia region of southwest Virginia. Research Involvement and Engagement, 7(44), 2021.
- Zoellner J, Porter K, Thatcher E, Kennedy E, Werth JL, Grossman B, Roatsey T, Hamilton H, Anderson R, Cohn W. A multi-level approach to understand the context and potential solutions for low colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in rural Appalachia clinics. Journal of Rural Health, 37(3):585-601, 2021.
- Zoellner J, Porter JK, You W, Estabrooks PA, Perzynski K, Ray P, Cantrell E. The reach and effectiveness of SIPsmartER when implemented by rural public health departments: A pilot dissemination and implementation trial to reduce sugary beverages. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 23(3):554-563, 2020.
- Yuhas M, Porter KJ, Hedrick V, Zoellner J. Using a Socioecological Approach to Identify Factors Associated with Adolescent Sugar Sweetened Beverage Intake. Journal of Academy of Nutrition in Dietetics, 120(9):1557-1567, 2020.
- Zoellner J, You W, Hill J, Brock D, Yuhas M, Alexander R, Price B, Estabrooks P A comparative effectiveness trial of two family-based childhood obesity treatment programs in a medically underserved region: Rationale, design & methods. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 84, 105801, 2019.
- Brock D, Estabrooks P, Hill J, Barlow M, Alexander R, Brito F, Price B, Jones C, Marshall R, Zoellner J. Building and Sustaining Community Capacity for addressing Childhood Obesity: A 3-Year Mixed-Methods Case Study of a Community-Academic Advisory Board. Family and Community Health, 42(1):62-79, 2019.
- Zoellner J, Hill J, You W, Brock D, Frisard M, Alexander R, Silva F, Price B, Marshall R, Estabrooks P. The influence of parental health literacy status on reach, retention, attendance and outcomes in a family-based childhood obesity program, Virginia, 2013-2015. Preventing Chronic Disease, 15(160421), 2017.
- Zoellner J, Porter K. “Translational Research: Concepts and Methods in Dissemination and Implementation Research,” book chapter in Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease, Coultson AM, Boushey CJ editors. 4th edition. 2017.
- Zoellner J, Hedrick V, You W, Chen Y, Porter K, Davy B, Bailey A, Lane H, Alexander R, Estabrooks P. Effects of a behavioral and health literacy intervention to reduce sugar-sweetened beverages: a randomized trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 13(38), 2016.
- Zoellner J, You W, Almeida F, Allen KCA*, Harden S, Glasgow RE, Linnan L, Hill J, Estabrooks P. The influence of health literacy on reach, retention, and success in a worksite weight loss program. American Journal of Health Promotion, 30(4):279-82, 2016.
- Lane H, Porter K, Estabrooks P, Zoellner J. A systematic review to assess sugar-sweetened beverage interventions across the socioecological model. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(8): 1295-1307, 2016. (Featured as a continuing education article).