Chris Economos

New Balance Chair, Childhood Nutrition, Tufts

Dr. Chris Economos is the Associate Director of the John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Obesity Prevention; the New Balance Chair in Childhood Nutrition; and an Associate Professor at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Tufts School of Medicine. She has received a Bachelor of Science from Boston University, a Master of Science in Applied Physiology and Nutrition from Columbia University, and a doctorate in Nutrition Science from Tufts University. Economos' research efforts have addressed the interaction between exercise, diet, body composition, bone health, and the built environment aimed at preventing osteoporosis and obesity starting in early childhood. She is the principal investigator of multiple large-scale studies examining childhood nutrition and physical activity with the goal of inspiring behavior, policy, and environmental change to improve the health of America's children. She has worked effectively with diverse communities and has crafted, implemented, and evaluated a physical activity and nutrition education curriculum. Economos' work engages theory and scientific evidence as vehicles to spark systemic, community-based change.