Sofiya Alhassan

Sofiya Alhassan

Professor of Kinesiology

Community family-based physical activity interventions

The Pediatric Physical Activity lab, led by Dr. Sofiya Alhassan, focuses on utilizing community family-based physical activity interventions to improve physical and cognitive outcomes in underserved pediatric populations. Dr. Alhassan’s lab also examines 1) physical activity policy-based intervention in preschool-age children; 2) environmental influences on various health behaviors in children of color, and 3) after-school family-based intervention to improve physiological, psychosocial, and academic performance of pre-adolescent children of color.

Research Lab Website:

Pediatric Physical Activity Lab

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford University School of Medicine
  • PhD, Auburn University, 2004
  • MS, Auburn University, 2000
  • BS, Stetson University, 1996

Key Publications

Alhassan, S., Sirard, J., & Robinson, T. The effects of increasing outdoor playtime on physical activity in Latino preschool children. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 2007, 2: 153-158.

Alhassan, S. & Robinson, TN. Objectively measured physical activity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in African-American girls. Ethnicity & Disease, 2008 Autumn; 18(4):421-426.

Alhassan, S. & Robinson, TN. Defining accelerometer thresholds for physical activity in girls using ROC analysis. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2010: 7(1): 45-53.

Alhassan, S., Nwaokelemeh, O., Goldsby, T. Lyden, K., & Mendoza, A. The effects of additional structured outdoor playtime on preschoolers physical activity level. Child Care in Practice (In Press).

Alhassan, S., Nwaokelemeh, O, Ghazarian, M., Roberts, J., Mendoza, A., & Shitole, S. Effect of locomotor-base physical activity program on minority preschoolers physical activity level. Pediatric Exercise Science (In Press).