Kathleen Davis, Ph.D., RDN, LD

Associate Professor

Nutrition and Food Sciences

Contact

Biography

Kathleen Davis, PhD, RDN, LD is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) who has special expertise in pediatric nutrition. Prior to her work in academia, Dr. Davis had extensive experience in clinical and community nutrition, particularly in infant clinical nutrition. Her current teaching focuses on preparing future RDNs for clinical practice. Her research focuses on the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity. She is currently collaborating with University of North Texas Kinesiology faculty to provide a multi-level nutrition and physical activity intervention to SNAP-eligible Head Start children and their families. This Texas Health and Human Services Commission-SNAP-Ed funded grant aims to improve dietary quality and physical activity to prevent obesity. A second key area of research interest is nutrition for children with developmental delay or conditions such as autism affecting their cognitive and/or neuological function. She is also the co-Lead for EatWell, the nutrition literacy and food security-focused arm of the campus Health and Well-Being Initiative. In this role, she has been focused on ways of improving food security of TWU students.

Education

Ph.D., Nutrition, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
M.S., Nutrition, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
B.S., Dietetics and Nutritional Administration, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX
B.A., French, University of North Texas, Denton, TX

Research Interests

Pediatric Obesity Prevention and Weight Management; Pediatric Developmental Disorders and Nutritional Intervention; Food insecurity of college students; food literacy of college students.

Latest Articles

Factors associated with food security of Texas Woman's University Freshmen.
Journal of American College Health (2022)
Francilia K Brito Silva, Wanyi Wang, Carolyn E. Moore, Kathleen Davis

Team-Based Learning: Null Results in an Introductory University Nutrition Course
College Teaching (2021)
Kathleen Davis, Amy Burke

Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions on College Students' Dietary Quality and Experience of the Food Environment
Nutrients (Online) (2021)
Francilia Brito Silva, Dawn E Osborn, Meghan R Owens, Tracie Kirkland, Carolyn E Moore

Farm to Future: A Virtual Summer Nutrition Culinary Camp for Kids
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (2020)
Mirna Murad, Anne-Marie Alford, Kathleen Davis

Prevalence and Social Determinants of Food Insecurity among College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nutrients (Online) (2020)
Meghan R Owens, Francilia Brito-Silva, Tracie Kirkland

Low Food Security Present on College Campuses Despite High Nutrition Literacy
Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition (2020)
Carolyn Moore, Kathleen Davis, Wanyi Wang

Parent Preferences for Text Messages Containing Infant Feeding Advice
mHealth (2019)
Cassandra Brown, Kathleen E. Davis, Marilyn Massey-Stokes, Cynthia Warren, Nusrath Habiba

Advanced glycation end products and risks for chronic diseases: Intervening through lifestyle modification.
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (2017)
Chandan Prasad, Kathleen Davis, Victorine Imrhan, Shanil Juma, Parakat Vijayagopal

Infant feeding practices and dietary consumption of US infants and toddlers: NHANES 2003-2012
Public Health Nutrition (2017)
Kathleen Davis, Xilong Li, Beverley Adams-Huet, Lona Sandon

Contribution of dietary advanced glycation end products (AGE) to circulating AGE: role of dietary fat
British Journal of Nutrition (2015)
Kathleen E Davis, Chandan Prasad, Parakat Vijayagopal, Shanil Juma, Beverley Adams-Huet

Chapters

Obesity and Metabolic Conditions
in Sustainable Community Health: Systems and Practices in Diverse Settings | Palgrave (2020)
Kathleen Davis, Theresa Abah, Elias Mpofu, Tinashe Dune, Ami Moore

Nutrition Practices to Grow Healthy Communities
in Sustainable Community Health: Systems and Practices in Diverse Settings | Palgrave (2020)
Kathleen Davis, Clare Brock

Externally Funded Projects

Head Start to Healthy Lifestyles Year 1 of 5
Texas Health and Human Services Commission | $223,496.00 | 2021
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Physiological Assessment of Denton Firefighters
City of Denton | $40,000.00 | 2019
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Impact of Walnut Butter on Endothelial Function, Gut Microbiota, Inflammatory Biomarkers, and Weight Management in Overweight/Obese Teenage Children Year 1 of 2
California Walnut Commission | 2019
Role: Collaborator

Internally Funded Projects

A Nourishing Space: Growing Entrepreneurs in Nutrition and Health Sciences
Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership | $38,365.00 | 2021
Research Grant

First-Year Student Food Insecurity Intervention
Texas Woman's University | $9,934.00 | 2021
Research Grant

Evaluating Parent Perceptions of Eating Behaviors, Weight, and Needed Support Among Parents of Children with Autism and Obesity
Texas Woman's University Research Enhancement Program | $7,434.00 | 2019
Research Grant

Text-Messaging to Prevent Early Childhood Obesity
Texas Woman's University Office of Research and Sponsored Programs | $9,887.00 | 2017
Research Grant

Professional Affiliations

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
American Society of Nutrition
National Association of Research Nutritionists
Pediatric Nutrition Network
Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group
Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior