Professor, Governor Sidney S. McMath Chair in Obesity Prevention
Director, Center for the Study of Obesity
Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management
Office: RAHN 6201B
Office Phone Number: (501) 526-6737
Email: mthomsen@uams.edu
Education
1998, PhD, University of Minnesota, Agricultural and Applied Economics
1994, MS, Utah State University, Agricultural Economics
1993, BS, Utah State University, Agricultural Economics
Research Interests
- Economics of obesity
- Nutrition and food policy
- School nutrition programs
- Food access
- Food insecurity
Courses Taught
HPMT 5335: Data Mining in Healthcare
Recent Publications
Fang D, Thomsen MR, Nayga Jr, RM. The association between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC public health. 2021;21(1):607-. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10631-0. PMCID: PMC8006138.
Dunn RA, Nayga Jr RM, Thomsen MR, Rouse HL. A longitudinal analysis of fast-food exposure on child weight outcomes: Identifying causality through school transitions. Q open. 2021;1(1):qoaa007-. DOI: 10.1093/qopen/qoaa007
Zare S, Thomsen MR, Nayga Jr RM, Goudie A. Use of Machine Learning to Determine the Information Value of a BMI Screening Program. American journal of preventive medicine. 2021;60(3):425-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.10.016
Schauder S, Thomsen MR, Nayga Jr RM. Agent-based modeling insights into the optimal distribution of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Preventive medicine reports. 2020;20:101173-. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101173. PMCID: PMC7475199
Kim B, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM, Fang D, Goudie A. Move more, gain less: Effect of a recreational trail system on childhood BMI. Contemporary Economic Policy. 2020;38(2):270-88. DOI: 10.1111/coep.12448. PMCID: PMC7074062.