Early in my career I discovered the world outside of the skin was just as complex and interesting as the one inside of the skin. That moment led me down a path of discovery of the principles of behavior change in our macro- and micro-environments and how these mechanisms influence preventive behaviors for chronic disease, such as physical activity and eating behaviors. 

Marc A. Adams, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor
Senior Sustainability Scientist

Google Scholar Profile

Publication Highlights 

• Adams MA, Hurley JC, Todd M, Bhuiyan N, Jarrett CL, Tucker WJ, Hollingshead KE, Angadi SS. Adaptive goal setting and financial incentives: a 2 × 2 factorial randomized controlled trial to increase adults' physical activity. BMC Public Health. 2017 Mar 29;17(1):286. 
• Adams M.A. , Sallis J.F., Hovell M.F., Hekler E.B., Perata E. An Adaptive Physical Activity Intervention for Overweight Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS ONE. 8(12):e82901. 
• Patrick K., Raab F.,  Adams M.A. , Dillon L., Zabinski M., Rock C.L., Griswold W.G., Norman G.J. A text message-based intervention for weight loss: A pilot study.  Journal of Medical Internet Research.  2009;11(1):e1
• Adams M.A. , Sallis J.F., Kerr J., Conway T., Saelens B.E., Frank L.D., Norman G.J., Cain K. Neighborhood Environment Profiles Related to Physical Activity and Weight Status: A Latent Profile Analysis.  Preventive Medicine. 2011;52(5):326-31.
• Adams MA, Bruening M, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Hurley JC.  Location of School Lunch Salad Bars and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Middle Schools: A Cross-Sectional Plate Waste Study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2016 Mar;116(3):407-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2015.10.011. 
• Sallis JF, Cerin E, Conway TL, Adams MA, Frank LD, Pratt M, Salvo D, Schipperijn J, Smith G, Cain KL, Davey R, Kerr J, Lai PC, Mitáš J, Reis R, Sarmiento OL, Schofield G, Troelsen J, Van Dyck D, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Owen N.   Physical activity in relation to urban environments in 14 cities worldwide: a cross-sectional study.  The Lancet. 2016 Apr 1. pii: S0140-6736(15)01284-2. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)01284-2.
   

Research Interests

Theory: Operant Learning and Behavioral Economics; Behavior change: walking, physical activity; Environment: city designs, walkability, transit environments; Intervention design: mHealth, adaptive goal setting, finanical reinforcement interventions; Measurement: pedometers, GIS/GPS; Primary prevention.

Current/Recent Grants and Projects

• Automating Neighborhood Street Audits.  NIH/NCI, $148,000. Principal Investigator. The purpose this project is to develop computer vision models for detection of urban streetscape features that support walking using Google StreetView images. 

• Salad bars and students' fruit and vegetable consumption: a group-randomized trial with objective assessments. NIH/NHLBI, $2,843,186, Principal Investigator (multiple)

• ​WalkIT Arizona: Neighborhood walkability and moderation of adaptive interventions for physical activity. NIH/NCI, $2,620,000, Principal Investigator. 
   
• Examining combined effects of walkability and recreation environments for physical activity across the life span. American Heart Association, $127,149, Principal Investigator.
   
• Behavioral Choice Theory Approach to Testing Exergames for Adolescent Physical Activity. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, $200,000, Co-Investigator.
   
• IPEN Adolescent: International Study of Built Environments and Physical Activity. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, $1,898,071, Co-Investigator.
   
• IPEN: International Study of Built Environment, Physical Activity, and Obesity. National Cancer Institute, NIH, Co-Investigator.