Nicola Hawley, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases)Cards
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
60 College Street, P.O. Box 208034
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
Samoan Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations Study Group
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
60 College Street, P.O. Box 208034
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
Samoan Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations Study Group
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Contact Info
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
60 College Street, P.O. Box 208034
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
Samoan Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations Study Group
About
Titles
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases)
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Biography
Dr. Nicola Hawley is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Disease) and Anthropology at the Yale School of Public Health. Her expertise is in the etiology and prevention of obesity-related chronic disease in resource-poor, low-income settings. Her research focuses predominantly on Pacific Islander populations, although she has ongoing collaborations in South Africa, Uganda, Honduras, China, Columbia and the US. Methodologically, Dr. Hawley employs a life-course approach that utilizes cross-sectional, cohort, and randomized controlled trial designs to address questions of causality and identify critical periods of susceptibility. She is a mixed-methods expert and an advocate for community-engaged approaches to research, intervention, and development of health policy.
Dr. Hawley’s current research focuses broadly on: (1) understanding how maternal and child health are impacted by rising levels of obesity and diabetes in resource-poor settings; (2) determining how innovations in healthcare delivery can impact identification and treatment of obesity-related disease during the perinatal period; and (3) developing interventions focused on pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence to prevent the intergenerational transmission of obesity-related disease.
Appointments
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
Associate Professor TenurePrimaryAnthropology
Associate Professor TenureSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Anthropology
- Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- Obesity Research Working Group
- Samoan Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations Study Group
- Yale Institute for Global Health
- Yale Network for Global Non-Communicable Diseases (NGN)
- Yale School of Public Health
- YSPH Global Health Concentration
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Brown University (2014)
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Brown University (2011)
- PhD
- Loughborough University (2009)
- BS
- Loughborough University (2005)
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
ORCID
0000-0002-2601-3454- View Lab Website
Samoan Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations Study Group
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Courtney Choy, MPH, PhD
Bohao Wu
Jeremy I. Schwartz, MD
Tracy Rabin, MD, SM
Sakura Oyama
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, PhD
Obesity
Samoa
Hypertension
Pregnancy
Diabetes Mellitus
American Samoa
Publications
2024
Weather-related inaccessibility of trails used by Inuit subsistence harvesters does not significantly influence retail food sales in Nunavut, Canada
Gilbert S, Ford J, Clark D, Turner L, Fawehinmi T, Caughey A, Stadnyk S, Beddard K, Kolola N, Kaminsky L, Pérez Escamilla R, Jessri M, Hawley N, Dubrow R. Weather-related inaccessibility of trails used by Inuit subsistence harvesters does not significantly influence retail food sales in Nunavut, Canada. ISEE Conference Abstracts 2024, 2024 DOI: 10.1289/isee.2024.0040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBehavioral Intervention that Extends Sleep Duration Leads to Greater Self-Control in School-Aged Children.
Spaeth A, Hawley N, Carskadon M, Raynor H, Jelalian E, Owens J, Wing R, Hart C. Behavioral Intervention that Extends Sleep Duration Leads to Greater Self-Control in School-Aged Children. Journal Of Developmental And Behavioral Pediatrics 2024 PMID: 38990144, DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001303.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTotal sleep timeSelf-controlSleep interventionsSelf-Control Rating ScaleWeeks postrandomizationImpaired self-controlBehavioral sleep interventionsAffected self-controlShorter total sleep timeInteraction effectsBaseline to follow-upSchool-aged childrenBehavioral domainsBehavioral interventionsIntervention conditionRating ScaleEvening preferenceChildren's sleepEnhance caregiversMixed-model ANOVASchool-ageShort sleepExtended sleep durationChronotype QuestionnairePartial correlationPatterns of Dietary Energy, Macronutrients, and Fiber Purchased in 21 Canadian Arctic Grocery Stores by Inuit-Defined Season and Community Size Level
Gilbert S, Jessri M, Turner L, Fawehinmi T, Caughey A, Stadnyk S, Beddard K, Kolola N, Kaminsky L, Ford J, Pérez-Escamilla R, Hawley N, Dubrow R. Patterns of Dietary Energy, Macronutrients, and Fiber Purchased in 21 Canadian Arctic Grocery Stores by Inuit-Defined Season and Community Size Level. Current Developments In Nutrition 2024, 8: 102839. DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.102839.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNoncommunicable 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 ResearchConceptsGlobal 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 between fasting glucose rate-of-change and the missense variant, rs373863828, in an adult Samoan cohort
Rivara A, Russell E, Carlson J, Pomer A, Naseri T, Reupena M, Manna S, Viali S, Minster R, Weeks D, DeLany J, Kershaw E, McGarvey S, Hawley N. Associations between fasting glucose rate-of-change and the missense variant, rs373863828, in an adult Samoan cohort. PLOS ONE 2024, 19: e0302643. PMID: 38829901, PMCID: PMC11146712, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302643.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsType 2 diabetesAllele of rs373863828Body mass indexFasting glucoseAdult SamoansDevelopment of type 2 diabetesOdds of type 2 diabetesReduction of modifiable risk factorsRs373863828 genotypeAssociated with higher body mass indexType 2 diabetes developmentGlucose rate of changeMass indexHousehold asset scoreUrbanization of residenceHigher body mass indexRisk factorsModifiable risk factorsRate of changeBaseline variablesMultivariate linear regressionPhysical activityDiabetes preventionType 2 diabetes mellitusSmoking statusThe milk study protocol: A longitudinal, prospective cohort study of the relationship between human milk metabolic hormone concentration, maternal body composition, and early growth and satiety development in Samoan infants aged 1–4 months
Harries V, Abraham J, Vesi L, Reupena A, Faaselele-Savusa K, Duckham R, Bribiescas R, Hawley N. The milk study protocol: A longitudinal, prospective cohort study of the relationship between human milk metabolic hormone concentration, maternal body composition, and early growth and satiety development in Samoan infants aged 1–4 months. PLOS ONE 2024, 19: e0292997. PMID: 38728264, PMCID: PMC11086876, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292997.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMaternal body compositionEarly infant growthBody compositionInfant growthProspective longitudinal cohortMother-infant dyadsBreastfeeding mother-infant dyadsHuman milkFingerpick blood sampleInfants aged 1Longitudinal cohortBody composition measurementsProspective cohort studyInfant feeding patternsSatiety developmentUndernourished womenSatiety responsivenessInfant satietyInfant hungerHormone leptinCohort studyHigh-income settingsMultivariate analysisEating patternsHormone transferA genetic association study of circulating coagulation factor VIII and von Willebrand factor levels
de Vries P, Reventun P, Brown M, Heath A, Huffman J, Le N, Bebo A, Brody J, Temprano-Sagrera G, Raffield L, Ozel A, Thibord F, Jain D, Lewis J, Rodriguez B, Pankratz N, Taylor K, Polasek O, Chen M, Yanek L, Carrasquilla G, Marioni R, Kleber M, Trégouët D, Yao J, Li-Gao R, Joshi P, Trompet S, Martinez-Perez A, Ghanbari M, Howard T, Reiner A, Arvanitis M, Ryan K, Bartz T, Rudan I, Faraday N, Linneberg A, Ekunwe L, Davies G, Delgado G, Suchon P, Guo X, Rosendaal F, Klaric L, Noordam R, van Rooij F, Curran J, Wheeler M, Osburn W, O'Connell J, Boerwinkle E, Beswick A, Psaty B, Kolcic I, Souto J, Becker L, Hansen T, Doyle M, Harris S, Moissl A, Deleuze J, Rich S, van Hylckama Vlieg A, Campbell H, Stott D, Soria J, de Maat M, Almasy L, Brody L, Auer P, Mitchell B, Ben-Shlomo Y, Fornage M, Hayward C, Mathias R, Kilpeläinen T, Lange C, Cox S, März W, Morange P, Rotter J, Mook-Kanamori D, Wilson C, van der Harst P, Jukema J, Ikram M, Blangero J, Kooperberg C, Desch K, Johnson A, Sabater-Lleal M, Lowenstein C, Smith A, Morrison A, Abe N, Abecasis G, Aguet F, Albert C, Almasy L, Alonso A, Ament S, Anderson P, Anugu P, Applebaum-Bowden D, Ardlie K, Arking D, Arnett D, Ashley-Koch A, Aslibekyan S, Assimes T, Auer P, Avramopoulos D, Ayas N, Balasubramanian A, Barnard J, Barnes K, Barr R, Barron-Casella E, Barwick L, Beaty T, Beck G, Becker D, Becker L, Beer R, Beitelshees A, Benjamin E, Benos T, Bezerra M, Bielak L, Bis J, Blackwell T, Blangero J, Blue N, Boerwinkle E, Bowden D, Bowler R, Brody J, Broeckel U, Broome J, Brown D, Bunting K, Burchard E, Bustamante C, Buth E, Cade B, Cardwell J, Carey V, Carrier J, Carson A, Carty C, Casaburi R, Romero J, Casella J, Castaldi P, Chaffin M, Chang C, Chang Y, Chasman D, Chavan S, Chen B, Chen W, Chen Y, Cho M, Choi S, Chuang L, Chung M, Chung R, Clish C, Comhair S, Conomos M, Cornell E, Correa A, Crandall C, Crapo J, Cupples L, Curran J, Curtis J, Custer B, Damcott C, Darbar D, David S, Davis C, Daya M, de Andrade M, de las Fuentes L, de Vries P, DeBaun M, Deka R, DeMeo D, Devine S, Dinh H, Doddapaneni H, Duan Q, Dugan-Perez S, Duggirala R, Durda J, Dutcher S, Eaton C, Ekunwe L, Boueiz A, Ellinor P, Emery L, Erzurum S, Farber C, Farek J, Fingerlin T, Flickinger M, Fornage M, Franceschini N, Frazar C, Fu M, Fullerton S, Fulton L, Gabriel S, Gan W, Gao S, Gao Y, Gass M, Geiger H, Gelb B, Geraci M, Germer S, Gerszten R, Ghosh A, Gibbs R, Gignoux C, Gladwin M, Glahn D, Gogarten S, Gong D, Goring H, Graw S, Gray K, Grine D, Gross C, Gu C, Guan Y, Guo X, Gupta N, Haessler J, Hall M, Han Y, Hanly P, Harris D, Hawley N, He J, Heavner B, Heckbert S, Hernandez R, Herrington D, Hersh C, Hidalgo B, Hixson J, Hobbs B, Hokanson J, Hong E, Hoth K, Hsiung C, Hu J, Hung Y, Huston H, Hwu C, Irvin M, Jackson R, Jain D, Jaquish C, Johnsen J, Johnson C, Johnson A, Johnston R, Jones K, Kang H, Kaplan R, Kardia S, Kelly S, Kenny E, Kessler M, Khan A, Khan Z, Kim W, Kimoff J, Kinney G, Konkle B, Kooperberg C, Kramer H, Lange E, Lange L, Lange L, Laurie C, Laurie C, LeBoff M, Lee J, Lee S, Lee W, LeFaive J, Levine D, Levy D, Lewis J, Li X, Li Y, Lin H, Lin H, Lin X, Liu S, Liu Y, Liu Y, Loos R, Lubitz S, Lunetta K, Luo J, Magalang U, Mahaney M, Make B, Manichaikul A, Manning A, Manson J, Martin L, Marton M, Mathai S, Mathias R, May S, McArdle P, McDonald M, McFarland S, McGarvey S, McGoldrick D, McHugh C, McNeil B, Mei H, Meigs J, Menon V, Mestroni L, Metcalf G, Meyers D, Mignot E, Mikulla J, Min N, Minear M, Minster R, Mitchell B, Moll M, Momin Z, Montasser M, Montgomery C, Muzny D, Mychaleckyj J, Nadkarni G, Naik R, Naseri T, Natarajan P, Nekhai S, Nelson S, Neltner B, Nessner C, Nickerson D, Nkechinyere O, North K, O'Connell J, O'Connor T, Ochs-Balcom H, Okwuonu G, Pack A, Paik D, Palmer N, Pankow J, Papanicolaou G, Parker C, Peloso G, Peralta J, Perez M, Perry J, Peters U, Peyser P, Phillips L, Pleiness J, Pollin T, Post W, Becker J, Boorgula M, Preuss M, Psaty B, Qasba P, Qiao D, Qin Z, Rafaels N, Raffield L, Rajendran M, Ramachandran V, Rao D, Rasmussen-Torvik L, Ratan A, Redline S, Reed R, Reeves C, Regan E, Reiner A, Reupena M, Rice K, Rich S, Robillard R, Robine N, Roden D, Roselli C, Rotter J, Ruczinski I, Runnels A, Russell P, Ruuska S, Ryan K, Sabino E, Saleheen D, Salimi S, Salvi S, Salzberg S, Sandow K, Sankaran V, Santibanez J, Schwander K, Schwartz D, Sciurba F, Seidman C, Seidman J, Sériès F, Sheehan V, Sherman S, Shetty A, Shetty A, Sheu W, Shoemaker M, Silver B, Silverman E, Skomro R, Smith J, Smith J, Smith N, Smith T, Smith E, Smoller S, Snively B, Snyder M, Sofer T, Sotoodehnia N, Stilp A, Storm G, Streeten E, Su J, Sung Y, Sylvia J, Szpiro A, Taliun D, Tang H, Taub M, Taylor K, Taylor M, Taylor S, Telen M, Thornton T, Threlkeld M, Tinker L, Tirschwell D, Tishkoff S, Tiwari H, Tong C, Tracy R, Tsai M, Vaidya D, Van Den Berg D, VandeHaar P, Vrieze S, Walker T, Wallace R, Walts A, Wang F, Wang H, Wang J, Watson K, Watt J, Weeks D, Weinstock J, Weir B, Weiss S, Weng L, Wessel J, Willer C, Williams K, Williams L, Wilson J, Wilson J, Winterkorn L, Wong Q, Wu J, Xu H, Yanek L, Yang I, Yu K, Zekavat S, Zhang Y, Zhao S, Zhao W, Zhu X, Ziv E, Zody M, Zoellner S, Lindstrom S, Wang L, Smith N, Gordon W, van Hylckama Vlieg A, de Andrade M, Brody J, Pattee J, Haessler J, Brumpton B, Chasman D, Suchon P, Chen M, Turman C, Germain M, Wiggins K, MacDonald J, Braekkan S, Armasu S, Pankratz N, Jackson R, Nielsen J, Giulianini F, Puurunen M, Ibrahim M, Heckbert S, Bammler T, Frazer K, McCauley B, Taylor K, Pankow J, Reiner A, Gabrielsen M, Deleuze J, O'Donnell C, Kim J, McKnight B, Kraft P, Hansen J, Rosendaal F, Heit J, Psaty B, Tang W, Kooperberg C, Hveem K, Ridker P, Morange P, Johnson A, Kabrhel C, AlexandreTrégouët D, Smith N. A genetic association study of circulating coagulation factor VIII and von Willebrand factor levels. Blood 2024, 143: 1845-1855. PMID: 38320121, DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023021452.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsMendelian randomizationGene-based aggregation testingImputation of genotypesGene-based analysisMulti-phenotype analysisAssociations of factor VIIIGenetic association studiesHuman umbilical vein endothelial cellsCausal genesTrans-OmicsAssociation studiesB3GNT2Genetic associationVon Willebrand factorProtein von Willebrand factorLociIdentified associationsPDIA3Umbilical vein endothelial cellsIncreased riskMeta-analysisCarrier protein von Willebrand factorVein endothelial cellsPrecision medicineEndothelial cells0264 Sleep Duration Among Samoan Children: A Descriptive Study of Behavioral and Sociodemographic Correlates
von Ash T, Choy C, Dunsiger S, Soti-Ulberg C, Wang D, Reupena M, Duckham R, Naseri T, Hawley N. 0264 Sleep Duration Among Samoan Children: A Descriptive Study of Behavioral and Sociodemographic Correlates. Sleep 2024, 47: a114-a114. DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0264.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSleep durationSociodemographic correlatesSleep recommendationsAssociated with obesity riskHigher obesity prevalenceCorrelates of sleep durationChild sleep durationNighttime sleep durationProportion of childrenObesity prevalenceObesity riskPrimary caregiversChild healthDescriptive studySecondary analysisPacific Island nationsChildren's sleepChildrenSleepCaregiversRecommendationsSociodemographicsHealthIsland nationsDurationChild, family and household characteristics associated with physical activity in Samoan children aged 3–8 years: A cross-sectional study
Warmath C, Choy C, McGarvey S, Sherar L, Duckham R, Soti-Ulberg C, Naseri T, Reupena M, Wang D, Hawley N. Child, family and household characteristics associated with physical activity in Samoan children aged 3–8 years: A cross-sectional study. PLOS Global Public Health 2024, 4: e0002886. PMID: 38630845, PMCID: PMC11023467, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002886.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNetherlands Physical Activity QuestionnairePhysical activityChildren aged 3Parent-reported physical activityPhysical Activity QuestionnaireObesity prevention strategiesPhysical activity levelsStudy of child growthMultivariable generalized linear regressionAssociated with oddsCross-sectional studyGeneralized linear regressionAged 3Activity QuestionnaireObesity riskHigher oddsMixed-longitudinal studyHousehold-level characteristicsPrevention strategiesActivity levelsBivariate analysisSleep durationChild growthChildren's sleepSamoan childrenAccelerometer-Based Estimates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Among Samoan Adults.
Hawley N, Zarei P, Crouter S, Desai M, Pomer A, Rivara A, Naseri T, Reupena M, Viali S, Duckham R, McGarvey S. Accelerometer-Based Estimates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Among Samoan Adults. Journal Of Physical Activity And Health 2024, 21: 636-644. PMID: 38621669, DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2023-0590.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsModerate to vigorous physical activityVigorous physical activityEstimates of physical activityPhysical activitySamoan adultsSedentary timeLight physical activityPhysical activity levelsAccelerometer-based devicesModifiable risk factorsClass II/III obesitySedentary activitiesWeight statusHealthy weightAdult SamoansParticipant characteristicsObesity-related diseasesCardiometabolic diseasesCensus regionActivity levelsGeneralized linear modelRural areasObesity-related cardiometabolic diseasesRisk factorsAdults
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
activity Group Prenatal Care Study
ResearchDetails11/30/2016 - 12/30/2018Pago Pago, Eastern, American SamoaAbstract/SynopsisRandomized controlled trial of group prenatal care in American Samoa - focused on addressing life course non-communicable disease risk
honor Yale School of Public Health "Teacher of the Year"
Yale School of Medicine AwardDetails05/15/2016United Statesactivity Ola Tuputupua'e (Growing Up) in Samoa Study
ResearchDetails04/30/2015 - PresentApia, Upolu, SamoaAbstract/SynopsisLongitudinal cohort study of child health and development in Samoa now planning for its fourth wave of bi-annual data collection.
activity Infant Feeding Studies
ResearchDetails06/01/2012 - PresentPago Pago, Eastern, American SamoaCollaborators- Bethel Muasau-HowardLBJTMC
- Aileen To'oto'o-SolaitaMaternal and Child Health Division, Department of Health
activity Soifua Manuia (Good Health) Study
ResearchDetails01/08/2010 - PresentApia, Upolu, SamoaCollaborators- Stephen T McGarveyBrown University
- Ranjan DekaUniversity of Cincinnati
- Muagatutia Sefuiva ReupenaSamoa Bureau of Statistics
- Daniel WeeksUniversity of Pittsburgh
- Ryan MinsterUniversity of Pittsburgh
- Jenna CarlsonUniversity of Pittsburgh
- Erin KershawUniversity of Pittsburgh
- Anna Rivara
Abstract/SynopsisOngoing cohort study of adult cardiometabolic health in Samoa
Links & Media
Media
News
- July 19, 2024
2024 Hecht Award Recipient Announced
- March 27, 2024Source: ABC Pacific
A decade-long study of Samoan children is shaping our understanding of diabetes
- February 20, 2024Source: BNN
Alarming Rise in Childhood Obesity and Diabetes Uncovered in Samoa, Yale Study Finds
- February 06, 2024
Samoan children as young as six at risk of diabetes, Yale study shows
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Contacts
Chronic Disease Epidemiology
60 College Street, P.O. Box 208034
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
Locations
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Academic Office
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New Haven, CT 06510