Jennifer W Bea, PhD

Cancer Prevention and Control Program Co-Leader

Shared Resource Director, Behavioral Measurement and Interventions

Associate Professor, Health Promotion Sciences

520-626-0912

jbea@uacc.arizona.edu

Links

Department Profile

NCBI Bibliography

Lab Link

Biography

Jennifer W. Bea, PhD is a physiological scientist, focused on body composition and chronic disease research, with an emphasis on cancer. She is currently Co-director for the Body Composition Research Laboratory, a member of UACC Cancer Prevention and Control, and a member of the Collaboratory for Metabolic Disease Prevention and Treatment at UA. As an expert in body composition imaging, lifestyle interventions, circulating biomarkers, and genetics, Dr. Bea has made significant strides in understanding how to tailor interventions to optimize body composition and health, particularly among underserved communities.

Cancer Focus

Dr. Bea has evaluated risk factors for cancer across the lifespan, lifestyle, and obesity being predominate. Among many contributions to interventional cancer prevention and control (CPC) are Dr. Bea’s investigations into weight loss, and separately, resistance training on metabolic regulation and change in body composition among postmenopausal breast cancer survivors. Dr. Bea recently led a seminal physical activity intervention among male and female Native American cancer survivors called, “Restoring Balance in Indian Country,” which included family members of the cancer survivors to support cancer prevention. She has also significantly contributed to understanding early markers of cancer risk, such as excess adiposity, metabolic dysfunction and inflammation among young girls. Cancer prevention and control training is a passion for Dr. Bea. She previously coordinated the CPC postdoctoral fellowship and is now M-PI of STEP-UP, an R25 CPC training program for underrepresented undergraduate and early graduate students, and the Research Education Core Lead for the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention.

Research Program Role

Cancer Prevention and Control Program

Display Name
Jennifer W Bea, PhD

Publications

Bland VL, Bea JW, Blew RM, Roe DJ, Lee VR, Funk JL, Going SB. 2020 Aug. Influence of Changes in Soft Tissue Composition on Changes in Bone Strength in Peripubertal Girls: The STAR Longitudinal Study. J Bone Miner Res. doi:10.1002/jbmr.4168.

Bea JW, Funk J, Hetherington-Rauth M, Wertheim BC, Mosquiera L, Thuraisingam R, Lee V, Blew R, Lohman T, Roe DJ, et al. 2018. Anthropometry Versus Imaging for Prediction of Inflammation Among Hispanic Girls. Obesity (Silver Spring). 26:1594–1602. doi:10.1002/oby.22265.

Bea JW, de Heer HD, Valdez L, Kinslow B, Yazzie E, Lee MC, Nez P, Dalgai S, Schwartz A. 2018. Physical Activity among Navajo Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study. Am Indian Alsk Native Ment Health Res. 25:54–73. doi:10.5820/aian.2502.2018.54.

Hetherington-Rauth M, Bea JW, Lee VR, Blew RM, Funk JL, Lohman TG, Going SB. 2018. Relationship between fat distribution and cardiometabolic risk in Hispanic girls. Am J Hum Biol. 30:e23149. doi:10.1002/ajhb.23149.

Bea JW, Hsu C-H, Blew RM, Irving AP, Caan BJ, Kwan ML, Abraham I, Going SB. 2018. Use of iDXA spine scans to evaluate total and visceral abdominal fat. Am J Hum Biol. 30. doi:10.1002/ajhb.23057.

Schwartz AL, de Heer HD, Bea JW. 2017. Initiating Exercise Interventions to Promote Wellness in Cancer Patients and Survivors. Oncology (Williston Park). 31:711–7.

Martinez JA, Wertheim BC, Thomson CA, Bea JW, Wallace R, Allison M, Snetselaar L, Chen Z, Nassir R, Thompson PA. 2017. Physical Activity Modifies the Association between Dietary Protein and Lean Mass of Postmenopausal Women. J Acad Nutr Diet. 117:192–203.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.10.009.

Bea JW, Thomson CA, Wertheim BC, Nicholas JS, Ernst KC, Hu C, Jackson RD, Cauley JA, Lewis CE, Caan B, et al. 2015. Risk of Mortality According to Body Mass Index and Body Composition Among Postmenopausal Women. Am J Epidemiol. 182:585–96. doi:10.1093/aje/kwv103.

Chase DM, Gibson SJ, Sumner DA, Bea JW, Alberts DS. 2014. Appropriate use of complementary and alternative medicine approaches in gynecologic cancers. Curr Treat Options Oncol. 15:14–26. doi:10.1007/s11864-013-0269-x.