Jennifer J. McGrath, PhD

Education

PhD (Bowling Green State University)
MPH (University of Pittsburgh)

Research interests

My predominant research interest focuses on pediatric cardiovascular behavioral medicine.   I am particularly interested in the progression of cardiovascular disease risk factors along the developmental spectrum and community preventions efforts utilizing public-health perspectives.   As part of my line of research, I am examining the pathogenesis of subclinical disease markers (cardiovascular reactivity, metabolic functioning, cardiac structural changes) across childhood and adolescence as mediated by potential behavioral (diet, exercise, lifestyle factors), environmental (stress exposure, social support, contextual effects), and psychological (coping style, cognitions, mood) mechanisms that influence these markers and possible confer susceptibility to developing cardiovascular disease.

Concordia news

Listen to the podcast: Thinking Out Loud 2067 Episode 2, Tell me something good
Press release on research: Back to school and back to sleep 

Maximova, K., McGrath, J.J., Barnett, T., Lambert, M., O’Loughlin, J., & Paradis, G. (2008). Do you see what I see? Exposure to obesity and weight status misperception among children and adolescents. International Journal of Obesity, 32, 1008-1015. (Time Magazine Feature by Dr. Sanjay Gupta)

McGrath, J.J., Barnett, T., Lambert, M., O’Loughlin, J., Paradis, G., Alamian, A., & Ho, T. (2007). Cardiovascular risk factors in boys and girls. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 176, S5-S11.

McGrath, J.J., Matthews, K.A., & Brady, S.S. (2006). Individual versus neighborhood socioeconomic status and race as predictors of adolescent ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate. Social Science and Medicine, 63, 1442-1453