Lori A. Francis, PhD

Lori A. Francis, PhD is a professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State and serves as Director of the Family and Child Health Project. Her research examines the factors contributing to the disproportionate burden of childhood obesity among children in households experiencing poverty. Working at the intersection of developmental science and public health, Dr. Francis studies how stress and adversity shape risk for—and resilience against—obesity. Her applied work emphasizes community-engaged nutrition education, obesity prevention, and gardening programs in communities facing health disparities and inequities.