Shiriki Kumanyika facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shiriki Kumanyika
in 2015
Alma mater	Syracuse University Columbia University Cornell University Johns Hopkins University
Known for	Obesity research
Scientific career
Institutions	University of Pennsylvania Cornell University Johns Hopkins University

Shiriki K. Kumanyika is a very important scientist. She used to be a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied how to prevent and treat obesity. She is also a leader in a group called the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Dr. Kumanyika helped start a special program at the University of Pennsylvania to teach about public health. She leads a group called AACORN, which focuses on obesity research for African Americans. She also used to be the president of the American Public Health Association, a big group for public health experts.

Shiriki's Journey to Science

Shiriki Kumanyika first studied psychology at Syracuse University. In 1965, she went to Columbia University. There, she earned a Master's degree in social work.

She joined the American Public Health Association in 1976. Later, she went to Cornell University for her advanced studies. She earned a PhD in human nutrition in 1978. She then worked at Cornell University as a nutrition professor until 1984.

In 1984, Dr. Kumanyika earned another degree, a Master of Public Health, from Johns Hopkins University. She became a professor there, helping to lead a center focused on preventing obesity worldwide. She worked at Johns Hopkins University until 1989.

Helping People Through Research

Dr. Kumanyika's research looks for good ways to reduce chronic diseases. These are long-lasting illnesses often linked to what we eat. She especially wanted to help black Americans have fair chances at good health.

She found that obesity affects African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians the most. Dr. Kumanyika has studied how obesity, salt-intake, and other foods affect human health. She always tries to understand different cultures when creating health programs. This helps make sure the programs work well for everyone.

She joined the University of Pennsylvania in 1989. By 1993, she became a full professor. She also worked with groups at the university that study health economics and aging. In the 1990s, she helped create important guidelines for what Americans should eat. She also studied if eating less salt could have any bad effects.

Studies on Weight and Health

At the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Kumanyika started several studies to help people lose weight. One study was called TONE, which stood for Trials of Nonpharmacologic Intervention in the Elderly. Another was HOPE, or Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Program. TONE helped older people, while HOPE focused on reducing fat and salt intake.

In 2002, she started the African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network, known as AACORN. This group gets money from the National Institutes of Health. AACORN works to improve research on weight issues in African American communities. They want to influence health policies and share research findings. AACORN has members in over 20 states.

She also led a project called EXPORT. This project helped connect university research with community groups.

Sharing Knowledge

In 2007, Dr. Kumanyika published a book called "Handbook for Obesity Prevention." This book shares information on how to prevent obesity. It offers solutions for many different groups of people. She also put together a special issue of a science magazine about obesity. It collected articles on what we know and don't know about obesity. She became very interested in ways to prevent obesity for whole populations, not just individuals.

She studied how health differences are talked about in US newspapers. She found the biggest differences were in news about HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease (heart problems), and cancer.

From 2008 to 2011, she helped advise the US government on health promotion and disease prevention. In 2012, she was an expert in a TV show called Weight of the Nation. This show explained that obesity can cause many cancer cases. In 2013, she wrote a report on obesity for a global health summit.

In 2014, she became an emeritus professor at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. This means she retired but still has an important role. In 2015, she joined Drexel University as a research professor.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Dr. Kumanyika has received many important awards for her work:

• 2017 The Obesity Society Bar-Or Award for Excellence in Pediatric Obesity Research
• 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Equity Champion
• 2015 The Obesity Society Diversity Leadership Award
• 2015 State University of New York Downstate Medical Center Honorary Doctorate of Science
• 2014 National Institutes of Health Robert S. Gordon Jr. Lecture
• 2013 President-elect of the American Public Health Association
• 2011 American Public Health Association Wade Hampton Frost Lecture
• 2007 Woman's Day Red Dress Award
• 2006 American Journal of Health Promotion Robert F. Allen Symbol of H.O.P.E. Award
• 2005 American Heart Association Population Research Prize
• 2005 Association of Black Cardiologists Dr. Herbert W. Nickens Epidemiology Award
• 2003 Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
• 1998 American Public Health Association Excellence in Dietary Guidance Award
• 1997 The Franklin Institute Bolton L. Corson Medal for Nutrition Research
• 1996 Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology
• 1992 Fellow of the American Heart Association