Rania Mekary
Research Associate
Department of Nutrition
Research Associate
Alternate Email:
rania.mekary@channing.harvard.edu
Education
Post-Doctoral Fellow (Nutrition, Physical Activity, Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and Cancer Epidemiology), 09/2005 – 03/2010: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
Doctor of Philosophy (Human Ecology- Nutrition), 08/2001 – 08/2005
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Master of Sciences (Applied Statistics), 2002-2005
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Minor in Kinesiology (Exercise Physiology), 2002-2003
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Minor in Epidemiology, 2001-2002
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Master of Sciences (Nutrition and Dietetics), 1995-1998
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Bachelor of Sciences (Food Technology and Nutrition), 1992-1995
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Dietetic Internship (12 months~equivalent to Registered Dietitian), Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. 1995
Medicine, 1st year, 1991-1992
Paris V University. Université René-Descartes, Paris, France.
Post-Doctoral Fellow (Nutrition, Physical Activity, Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and Cancer Epidemiology), 09/2005 – 03/2010: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
Doctor of Philosophy (Human Ecology- Nutrition), 08/2001 – 08/2005
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Master of Sciences (Applied Statistics), 2002-2005
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Minor in Kinesiology (Exercise Physiology), 2002-2003
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Minor in Epidemiology, 2001-2002
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.
Master of Sciences (Nutrition and Dietetics), 1995-1998
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Bachelor of Sciences (Food Technology and Nutrition), 1992-1995
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Dietetic Internship (12 months~equivalent to Registered Dietitian), Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. 1995
Medicine, 1st year, 1991-1992
Paris V University. Université René-Descartes, Paris, France.
Publications
PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS
1) Rania A. Mekary, Edward Giovannucci, Walter Willett, Frank B. Hu. “Eating patterns and type 2 diabetes risk in men: Breakfast omission, eating frequency, and snacking.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Mar 28. PMID: 22456660
2) Rania A. Mekary, Frank B. Hu, Walter Willett, Stephanie Chiuve, Kana Wu, Charles Fuchs, Teresa T. Fung, Edward Giovannucci. “The joint association of eating frequency and diet quality with colorectal cancer risk in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.” Am J Epidemiol. 2012 Mar 2. PMID: 22387430
3) Rania A. Mekary, Eric Rimm, Edward Giovannucci, Meir Stampfer, Walter Willett, David S. Ludwig, Frank B Hu. “Joint association of glycemic load and alcohol intake with type 2 diabetes incidence in women.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Dec; 94(6):1525-32. PMID: 22049168
4) Michel Lucas, Rania A. Mekary, Ichiro Kawachi, Karestan Koenen, Fariba Mirzaei, Eilis O’reilly, An Pan, Walter C Willett, Alberto Ascherio. “Physical activity and TV watching relationship with clinical depression risk among older women: A 10-year prospective follow-up study”. Am J Epidemiol. 2011 Oct 7. PMID: 21984659
5) Rania Mekary*, Anne Lusk*, Diane Feskanich, Walter Willett. “Bicycling, walking, and weight gain in pre-menopausal women”. *Equal contribution. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2010 Jun 28; PMID: 20585071; PMC3119355
6) Rania A. Mekary, Kana Wu, Edward Giovannucci, Laura Sampson, Charles Fuchs, Donna Spiegelman, Walter C. Willett, and Stephanie A Smith-Warner. “Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) intake and colorectal cancer risk in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.” Cancer Causes and Control. 2010 Apr 14. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 20390446; NIHMSID: 300827
7) Alomari, M, Mekary R.A., Welsch, M.A. “Rapid vascular modifications to localized rhythmic handgrip training and detraining.” Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010 Mar 12. NIHMSID: 301090
8) Rania A. Mekary, Walter C. Willett, Frank B. Hu, Eric L. Ding. “Isotemporal substitution paradigm for physical activity epidemiology: effects of activity substitution in weight loss maintenance”. Am J Epidemiol. Jul 7 2009. PMCID: 2733862
9) Mekary, R.A, Feskanich, D., Malspeis, S. Hu, FB. Willett, WC, and Field, AE. “Physical activity patterns and prevention of weight gain in premenopausal women.” Int J Obes (Lond). Jun 23 2009. PMCID: 2746452
10) Mekary, R.A, Feskanich, D., Hu, FB. ,Willett, WC, and Field, AE. “Physical activity in relation to long-term maintenance after intentional weight loss in premenopausal women” Obesity (Silver Spring). Jun 4 2009. PubMed # 19498346; PMCID: 2798010
11) Bawadi, HA, Al-Shwaiyat NM, Tayyem, RT, Mekary, RA, and Tuuri, G. “Developing a food exchange list for Middle Eastern appetizers and desserts commonly consumed in Jordan.” Nutrition and Dietetics, Feb 19, 2009, 66 (20-26). NIHMSID: 301087
PUBLISHED Editorials and commentaries
12) Mekary RA, Ding EL. ” Analysis of television viewing and physical activity using time substitution models.” Archives of Internal Medicine. 2010 Jul 12;170(13):1173-4; author reply 1174.
13) Ding EL, Mekary RA. “Isotemporal substitution analysis of TV watching and physical activity,” MS ID#: CIRCULATIONAHA/2010/950030. Circulation 2010 Sep 28;122(13):e472; author reply e473.
14) Mekary RA, Willett WC, Hu FB. “Letter to the editor: Reply to G Livesey.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 In Press.
Published Abstracts
1) Rania A. Mekary, Walter C. Willett, Frank B. Hu, Eric L. Ding. Effects of isotemporal substitution paradigm of different physical activities on longitudinal waist circumference change in women. (March 2010, American Heart Association)
2) Rania A. Mekary1,2, Stephen Lindsey3, Pamela Riddle2, James Geaghan2, Maren Hegsted1. Human Ecology1, Experimental Statistics2 , Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, Ochsner Clinic3, Baton Rouge, LA, 70809. “Osteoporosis and osteopenia treatment: A retrospective case-referent study of post-menopausal women”. FASEB Journal 2005.
3) Mekary, R.A., Lindsey, S., Lindberg, J., Hugh-Jones, M., Hegsted, M., “Survey of Baton Rouge/New Orleans physicians who treat osteoporosis,” FASEB Journal 17:A296. 2003
4) McCutcheon, K.L., Francis, A.R., Martin, R.J., Keenan, M.J., O’Neil, C.O., Gillespie, M.S., Mekary, R.A., Hegsted, M., “Ad libitum vs. meal feeding rats in obesity research,” FASEB Journal 17:A746. 2003.
5) Hegsted, M., Francis, A.R., McCutcheon, K.L., Keenan, M.J., O’Neil, C.E., Gillespie, M.S., Mekary, R.A., Martin, R.J., “Amylose resistant starch (RS) decreases body fat in rats,” FASEB Journal 17:A335. 2003.
6) O’Neil, C.E., Hegsted, M., Mekary, R.A., Mihalache, G., Keenan, M.J., Elks, C., Daigle, K., Duhe, S., Melton, S.A., “Running and Swimming improve bone mineral density in ovariectomized retired breeder rats,” FASEB Journal 16:A624. 2002.
Research
My area of research is geared towards studying the correlates of obesity, physical activity, and diet quality in adults as well as preadolescents and adolescents boys and girls. I have also been assessing the complex relationship between physical activity patterns and weight changes in pre-menopausal women. I hope to reverse the obesity epidemic and help in making the environment we live in less “obesogenic”. Currently, I am studying different dietary risk factors for type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.
My work experience and skills entail nutrition counseling for weight loss and for other diet-related chronic diseases, statistical analysis, group exercise teaching, and other science teaching (biology; statistics).
Rania
