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Health Behavior and Promotion Research Lab
Health Behavior and Promotion Research Lab
The Health Behavior and Promotion Research (HBPR) Lab focuses on using health behavior theory to explain and promote healthy behaviors around physical activity and nutrition. Our goal is to explore ideas that will help individuals and communities move their bodies in ways that feel good and eat delicious and nutritious food.
Current Projects
Current Projects
Unleashing the potential of dog walking
Unleashing the potential of dog walking
This project examines differences between dog owners who frequently and infrequently walk their dog to identify ways to promote dog walking to increase physical activity in owners. This project was funded by Oakland University Faculty Fellowship.
Student-Athletes Health Behaviors
Student-Athletes Health Behaviors
This project explores collegiate athletes health behaviors. This project was funded by the School of Health Science Sprout Award, in collaboration with Kelley Borton, Assistant Professor in Nutrition/Dietetics, and Madison Wyatt, Sports Dietitian.
Athletic Identity and Disordered Eating in Student-Athletes
Athletic Identity and Disordered Eating in Student-Athletes
Starting in Fall 2025, this project will explore the relationship between athletic identity and DE behaviors in college athletes. Specifically, it will examine differences in athletic identity and DE prevalence between varsity and recreational athletes. This project was funded by the Provost Graduate Student Award with graduate research assistant, Rhianna Hensler, leading the project.
Research Team Members
Research Team Members
The HBPR Lab is currently full and will not accept new students until the 2026 - 2027 academic year. If you are interested, please fill out the HBPR Lab interest form under "Student Forms".
Dr. Emily Van Wasshenova is interested in health behaviors. Her main research focuses on physical activity and nutrition behavior, using an interdisciplinary approach to identify decision-making processes and develop effective interventions for initiation and/or maintenance of physical activity and healthy eating patterns. Her hobbies include running, gardening, and camping.
LAB MEMBERS:
Rhianna Hensler is a first-year graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. She recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education. She is passionate about sports psychology, clinical psychology, and clinical research. Her hobbies include reading, exercising, and participating on the university’s swim team.
Paige Eacker is a senior in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. She is studying both Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences with a specialization in Pre-Clinical Professions and Anthropology, as well as minoring in Music Technology. She graduated from The Early College program at Lansing Community College in 2022 with a Transfer Studies Associate’s degree. Her future goal is to improve her research skills in preparation for graduate school programs to be a forensic pathologist’s assistant and eventually a forensic anthropologist. Her hobbies include tennis, dancing, and writing music.
Luke Myers is a senior in the Applied Statistics B.S./M.S. program, with minors in Mathematics and Biology. His academic interests include biostatistics (with a strong interest in multi-omics sciences). He is also a participant in OU’s DAMOS (Data Analytics in Multi-Omics Science) NRT program. Luke is currently doing research with the HBPR Lab, focusing on mental health and behavioral patterns among Division I student-athletes. In his free time, he enjoys working out and learning guitar.
PAST LAB MEMBERS:
Rahmin Aqter
Anita Gorgis - Andrea joined the HBPR Lab in 2021 and worked on a project assessing OU student-athletes nutritional knowledge. Anita graduated in 2023 with a B.S. and was accepted into University of Michigan - Flint Physician Assistant Program.
Sandra Yousif - Sandra joined the HBPR Lab in 2021 and worked on a project assessing OU student-athletes nutritional knowledge. Sandra graduated in 2023 with a B.S. in Health Sciences and was accepted into MSU Physician Assistant Program.
Alexa Barczak - Alexa joined the HBPR Lab in 2021 and completed her Honor College Thesis with the lab to better understand exercise identity in college students. Alexa graduated in Fall 2022 and was accepted into Oakland University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program for Fall 2023.
Andrew Johnson - Andrew joined the HBPR Lab in 2024. He is majoring in Health Sciences with a specialization in pre-professional medicine.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
Van Wasshenova, E., Mahas, R. (2025). Predictors of Adherence to Physical Activity Guidelines: The Role of Cancer Beliefs, BMI, and Sociodemographics Among a U.S. National Sample. The American Journal of Health Education. DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2025.2513904
Bondy, R., Van Wasshenova, E., Lynch, A., Lucarelli, J. (2025) P-CURE: A progressive, course-based undergraduate research experience in health sciences. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. In-press.
Born, S., Rotarius, T., Van Wasshenova, E., Lauver, J., Thistlethwaite, J., Scheuermann, B. (2024). Creatine Supplementation May Attenuate the Decrement in Exercise Performance during Low Carbohydrate Diets in Recreationally Trained Individuals. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition.
Van Wasshenova, E., Boardley, D., Geers, A. Tull, M., Steiner, V. (2022). A brief value-based randomized intervention to promote physical activity in patients attending cardiac rehabilitation. The American Journal of Health Education. DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2022.2142334
See all publications here.
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