University of Iowa · PhysiologyMaternal Health and Offspring Development Lab
Kara Marie Whitaker · Iowa City, Iowa
Research Focus
Dr. Kara Whitaker's research lab focuses on how maternal behaviors during pregnancy, such as physical activity and sedentary behavior, influence the health of offspring in their early years. By studying the effects of these behaviors, her team aims to find ways to prevent childhood obesity and cardiovascular diseases that can start before birth. This work seeks to provide insights into how we can improve health outcomes for future generations through effective maternal health interventions.
maternal healthpregnancychildhood obesitycardiovascular diseasebehavior assessmentsedentary behaviorphysical activityoffspring health24-hour behaviorpublic health
Research Aims
3AIM 01Examine the associations between maternal sedentary behavior and offspring obesity risk.
AIM 02Investigate the impact of maternal moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on offspring cardiovascular risk.
AIM 03Identify optimal 24-hour behavior patterns during pregnancy associated with better health outcomes for offspring.
Skills the Lab Values
data collectionbehavioral assessmentstatistical modelinglongitudinal study designmedical record abstractionquestionnaire developmentmonitoring physical activityanthropometric measurementcross-sectional study analysisteam-based research
Output against the department
Publications1bottom 1% of dept.286th of 286
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations0bottom 1% of dept.285th of 286
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.