McNair Scholar 2022 Jayce Warner
Jayce Warner is a Freshman honors student at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, majoring in Kinesiology. Her research interests include nutrition and exercise interventions, health policy, and improving racial health inequities. She aims to work with underrepresented populations, with a special interest for those in her Native American community.
I wish to become a clinical researcher and policy maker for nutritional and exercise science. I would like to close gaps in health disparities and provide better representation for disadvantaged populations, with a particular focus on the Native American community.
Research project
An Examination of Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Characteristics with Stress in Sedentary African American Women
Abstract: Purpose: To examine the associations of stress on behaviors, psychosocial variables, BP, and BMI in sedentary AA women. Methods: Baseline data were collected from 69 AA women (mean age=43.7 years, SD=10.03). Height, weight, and BP, along with self-reported demographics, behavioral, and psychosocial variables were collected. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and linear regression models were run using SAS Studio. Results: Participants reported behaviors indicative of high stress, with the majority experiencing stress levels of 6 or higher out of 10 in the past month. For every 1-point increase in worry score, the average stress store increased by 1.15. There was also a statistically significant association between SBP (p=0.03), DBP (p=0.04), and stress. Conclusion: The relationship between stress and BP is of special interest in this population, as AA individuals experience high rates of negative stress-related health outcomes, suggesting a need for stress-targeted interventions.
Faculty mentor
Daheia Barr-Anderson is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Behavioral Physical Activity Laboratory (BPAL). Dr. Barr-Anderson received her PhD in Kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise epidemiology at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on physical activity, sedentary behaviors, health outcomes, decreasing racial inequities, and obesity prevention. As a Principal Investigator of several foundation and NIH grants and Co-Investigator on several NIH R01 grants, she has written over sixty publications on the matter.