Courtney Choy, MPH, PhD
Postdoctoral AssociateAbout
Research
Publications
Featured Publications
Shaping childhood obesity: behavioral and environmental risk factors associated with body mass index trajectories between 2 and 9 years in Samoan children
Choy C, Johnson W, Naseri T, Filipo V, Arorae M, Tafunaina F, Unasa F, Savusa K, Reupena M, Braun J, Duckham R, Soti-Ulberg C, McGarvey S, Hawley N. Shaping childhood obesity: behavioral and environmental risk factors associated with body mass index trajectories between 2 and 9 years in Samoan children. International Journal Of Obesity 2024, 49: 322-331. PMID: 39472691, PMCID: PMC11805637, DOI: 10.1038/s41366-024-01665-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBody mass indexDietary pattern adherenceHigher Body Mass IndexPhysical activityNetherlands Physical Activity QuestionnaireRisk factorsBody mass index trajectoriesFood frequency questionnaire dataPhysical Activity QuestionnaireHigh physical activityBody mass index gainBehavioral risk factorsHousehold asset scoreLow household assetsCubic spline regressionAged 2 to 4 yearsAged 2Public health solutionsChildhood risk factorsSamoan childrenActivity QuestionnaireObesity preventionBMI trajectoriesObesity riskHealth solutionsNoncommunicable disease risk behaviors and protective factors among children in Samoa: Retrospective trend analysis of global school-based health surveys in 2011 and 2017
Choy C, Simi S, Soti-Ulberg C, Naseri T, Salinas Y, Hawley N. Noncommunicable disease risk behaviors and protective factors among children in Samoa: Retrospective trend analysis of global school-based health surveys in 2011 and 2017. PLOS Global Public Health 2024, 4: e0003315. PMID: 38861507, PMCID: PMC11166286, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003315.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGlobal School-based Student Health SurveyPrevalence of overweight/obesityNoncommunicable diseasesHealth SurveyNoncommunicable disease risk factorsMultistage stratified cluster sampling designNoncommunicable disease risk behavioursProtective factorsPrevalence of noncommunicable diseasesRisk behaviorsGlobal School-based Health SurveySchool-based health surveyPromote healthy behaviorsStudent Health SurveyPrevalence of obesityPublic health actionCluster sampling designStrengthening protective factorsReduce risk behaviorsRetrospective trend analysisPrevalence of riskSedentary behaviorSchool year 9School-aged childrenPhysical activityAssociations of childhood BMI traits with blood pressure and glycated haemoglobin in 6–9‐year‐old Samoan children
Choy C, Johnson W, Braun J, Soti‐Ulberg C, Reupena M, Naseri T, Savusa K, Lupematasila V, Arorae M, Tafunaina F, Unasa F, Duckham R, Wang D, McGarvey S, Hawley N. Associations of childhood BMI traits with blood pressure and glycated haemoglobin in 6–9‐year‐old Samoan children. Pediatric Obesity 2024, 19: e13112. PMID: 38439600, PMCID: PMC11081844, DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.13112.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBody mass indexBody mass index velocityBody mass index trajectoriesChildhood BMI trajectoriesBlood pressureHigher Body Mass IndexChildhood characteristicsAssociation of HbA1cAssociated with higher BPAt-risk populationsSamoan childrenGlycated hemoglobinBMI trajectoriesPacific childrenPrevention effortsCohort studyElevated glycated hemoglobinHigher HbA1cMass indexHigh BPElevated BPYear oldsAt-riskMultilevel modelsRisk factors
2025
Dyadic Care Interventions and Outcomes for Mothers and Their Infants: A Scoping Review.
McAdow ME, Martinez-Brockman JL, Grimshaw AA, Choy CC, Rosenberg J. Dyadic Care Interventions and Outcomes for Mothers and Their Infants: A Scoping Review. Pediatrics 2025, 156 PMID: 41242520, DOI: 10.1542/peds.2025-073023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociations among maternal nutrient intake and infant fecal and human milk microbiomes in exclusively breastfeeding Samoan mother-infant dyads
Daiy K, Bertacchi V, Choy C, Vesi L, Savusa K, Abraham J, Soti-Ulberg C, Naseri T, Williams J, McGuire M, McGuire M, Valeggia C, Hawley N. Associations among maternal nutrient intake and infant fecal and human milk microbiomes in exclusively breastfeeding Samoan mother-infant dyads. Journal Of Nutrition 2025, 101246. PMID: 41297633, DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.11.015.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMaternal nutrient intakeFatty acid intakeNutrient intakeInfant fecal microbiomeMother-infant dyadsAcid intakeNutrition transitionPolyunsaturated Fatty Acid IntakeSaturated fatty acid intakeInfant fecesShannon diversityHuman milkIndividual taxaFecal microbiomeHuman milk microbiomeOverall bacterial compositionFiber intakeRRNA gene sequencesMaternal dietAssociated with richnessInfant microbiomeOverall microbiome compositionProtein intakeInfantsDietary variablesParent-Reported Measures of Weight-Related Health Behaviors in Early Childhood: A Scoping Review
Aloe C, Tsai E, Lagalante S, Choy C, Funaro M, Lindros J, Bako K, Buccini G, Gross R, Wood C, Staiano A, Sharifi M. Parent-Reported Measures of Weight-Related Health Behaviors in Early Childhood: A Scoping Review. Childhood Obesity 2025 PMID: 40938420, DOI: 10.1177/21532176251369634.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWeight-related health behaviorsChildren's dietary intakeHealth behaviorsParental feeding practicesPrimary careParent-report measuresFeeding practicesPhysical activity/sedentary behaviorDietary intakePrimary care settingPsychometric resultsHealthy behaviorsEarly childhoodWeb of ScienceCare settingsUnique questionnairesObesity riskScreen timeScoping ReviewTrained reviewersPsychometric analysisCareQuestionnaireDescriptive analysisParenting practicesValidation of the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA) for use in Samoa
Tanawattanacharoen V, Choy C, Anesi T, Hromi-Fiedler A, Naseri T, Reupena M, Duckham R, Wang D, Hawley N, Soti-Ulberg C. Validation of the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA) for use in Samoa. Journal Of Nutrition 2025, 155: 1474-1484. PMID: 40127734, PMCID: PMC12121424, DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.03.023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCaribbean Food Security ScaleFood Security ScaleFood insecurityInternal consistencySecurity ScaleDegree of food insecurityChildren's dietary intakeLongitudinal cohort studyRasch modelProtective factorsItem infit statisticsFocus group discussionsObesity riskInfit statisticsContent validityMaternal educationConstruct validityHealthy foodSamoan mothersSamoan womenCohort studyDietary intakeHousehold incomeGroup discussionsCohort characteristicsPsychosocial correlates of HbA1c among adult Samoans without diabetes
Rivara A, Heinsberg L, Carlson J, Pomer A, Naseri T, Reupena M, Choy C, Wang D, Kershaw E, Viali S, McGarvey S, Hawley N. Psychosocial correlates of HbA1c among adult Samoans without diabetes. PLOS Mental Health 2025, 2: e0000196. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000196.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPsychosocial factorsSocial supportMental health awarenessHealth promotion materialsAssociated with lower HbA1cBehavioral risk factorsFactors associated with HbA1cHigh social supportHigh-risk populationPsychosocial healthDiabetes careDiabetes prevalencePsychosocial determinantsHealth outcomesDiabetes preventionAdult SamoansPsychosocial variablesParticipant demographicsCorrelation of HbA1cPsychosocial correlatesHealth awarenessSamoan adultsRs373863828 genotypeSelf-EfficacyLower HbA1cBehavioral and sociodemographic correlates of sleep duration among children in Samoa
von Ash T, Choy C, Dunsiger S, Soti-Ulberg C, Wang D, Reupena M, Duckham R, Naseri T, Hawley N. Behavioral and sociodemographic correlates of sleep duration among children in Samoa. Sleep Health 2025, 11: 57-64. PMID: 39753399, PMCID: PMC11805616, DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2024.10.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSchool-aged childrenSociodemographic correlatesPrimary caregiversSleep durationSleep recommendationsAssociated with longer sleepCorrelates of sleepCorrelates of sleep durationLongitudinal cohort studyShort sleepDietary pattern adherenceAged 2Total carbohydrate intakeData collection wavesNighttime sleepSamoan childrenChildren Aged 2Physical activityChild healthSociodemographic characteristicsAdequate sleepCarbohydrate intakeCollection wavesInsufficient sleepRisk factors
2024
Inequities in Access to Mental Health Services Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Medicaid Enrollees
Nguyen K, Oh E, Ðoàn L, Chu C, Banawa R, Oronce C, Choy C, Zhou S. Inequities in Access to Mental Health Services Among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Medicaid Enrollees. Psychiatric Services 2024, 76: 300-303. PMID: 39696990, PMCID: PMC12177093, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20230637.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEthnic groupsMedicaid enrolleesWhite Medicaid enrolleesDisaggregates ethnic groupsSelf-reported accessHealth care accessBehavioral health servicesMental health care accessNon-Hispanic AAMonolithic groupMagnitude of disparityAdult Medicaid enrolleesAsian AmericansCare accessRacial groupsHealth servicesInequalityPacific IslandersWhite enrolleesEnrolleesAccessNHPI
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News & Links
News
- November 17, 2025
Providing Dyadic Care to Mothers and Infants to Improve Health Outcomes
- June 18, 2025Source: NIH Fogarty International Center
Building health infrastructure to prevent childhood obesity and related diseases in Samoa
- March 27, 2024Source: ABC Pacific
A decade-long study of Samoan children is shaping our understanding of diabetes
- February 06, 2024
Samoan children as young as six at risk of diabetes, Yale study shows