Research Assistant Professor
Department of Epidemiology
A533 Crabtree Hall
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Phone: 412-624-1612
Fax: 412-624-7397
E-mail: kingw@edc.pitt.edu



Research Interests

• Physical activity and dietary interventions to prevent and treat obesity
• Behavioral interventions
• Environmental interventions
• Objective assessment of physical activity
• Activity monitor selection and wear protocol
• Determining appropriate data processing decision rules and demonstrating how data processing rules affect physical activity estimates
• Exploration of how monitor data can be used to comprehensively describe PA behavior and of which aspects of PA behavior relate to health outcomes
• Quantifying physical activity intensity and comparability of measures of moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity across studies
• Correlates/determinants of physical activity participation and healthy diet
  • Racial and economic disparities in health behaviors as a function of disparities in environment
• Bariatric surgery
• Effect of physical activity on weight loss and resolution of co-morbidities post surgery
• Psychosocial indicators of poor outcome
• Supplemental behavioral interventions to improve outcome

Research Support

• Principal Investigator



• Determining the walking speeds and walking rates (steps/min) that equate to moderate intensity and vigorous intensity activity in normal weight, overweight, obese and morbidly obese adults (CRDF Small Grants Program)


• Co-Investigator



• Data Coordinating Center for the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS) (NIDDK)
• Enhanced Behavioral Intervention to Improve Long-term Weight Loss in Young Adults (NIH)
• Adapting Pediatric Obesity Treatment Delivery to Address Health Disparities (NIH)

Education & Training

• University of California, San Diego- B.S. Biology, 1998
• University of Pittsburgh- Ph.D. Epidemiology, 2004

Selected Publications

Gosman GG, King WC, Schrope B, Steffen KJ, Strain GW, Courcoulas AP, Flum DR, Pender JR, Simhan HN. Reproductive health of women electing bariatric surgery. Fertil Steril. 2009 Oct 6; Epub ahead of print.

Flum DR, Belle SH, Berk P, Chapman W, Courcoulas A, King WC, McCloskey C, Mitchell J, Patterson E, Pomp A, Pories W. Peri-operative Safety in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery. NEJM. 2009 Jul 30; 361(5):445-545.

Hawkins MS, Storti KL, Richardson CR, King WC, Strath SJ, Holleman RG, Kriska AM. Objectively measured physical activity of U.S. adults by sex, age, and racial/ethnic groups: Cross-sectional Study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2009 Jun 3;6(1):31.

King WC, Belle SH, Eid GM, Dakin GF, Inabnet WB, Mitchell JE, Patterson EJ, Courcoulas AP, Flum DR, Chapman WH, Wolfe BM. Physical activity levels of patients undergoing bariatric surgery in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery study. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2008 Nov-Dec;4(6):721-8. Epub 2008 Sep 5.

King WC, Jia Li, Kira Leishear, James E. Mitchell, Steven Belle. Accelerometer Data Reduction Influences Estimates of Physical Activity. Obesity 2008 Oct;16(1):S274.

King WC, Belle SH, Chapman WH, Courcoulas AP, Dakin GF, Eid GM, Flum DR, Inabnet WB, Mitchell JE, Oelschlager B, Patterson EJ, Wolfe BM. Correlates of Physical Activity Level of Bariatric Surgery Candidates. Obesity 2008 Oct;16(1):S246.

Belle SH, Courcoulas AP, Davis D, Flum DR, Gagner M, King WC, Machado L, Mitchell JE, Miles C. Measuring weight change prior to bariatric surgery-A methodological problem in observational studies. Obesity 2008 Oct;16(1):S115.

Belle SH, Chapman W, Courcoulas AP, Flum DR, Gagner M, Inabnet WB, King WC, Relationship of body mass index with demographic and clinical characteristics in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS). Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2008 Jul-Aug;4(4):474-80. Epub 2008 Jun 2.

Simkin-Silverman LR, Conroy M, King WC. Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Primary Care Practice: Current Evidence and Future Directions. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2008 Jul;2:296 - 304.

King WC, Belle SH, Brach JS, Simkin-Silverman LR, Soska T, Kriska AM. Objective measures of neighborhood environment and physical activity in older women. Am J Prev Med. 2005 Jun;28(5):461-9. Erratum in: Am J Prev Med. 2005 Oct;29(3):245-6.

Simkin-Silverman LR, Gleason KA, King WC, Weissfeld L, Buhari A, Boraz M, Wing R. Predictors of weight control advice in primary care practices: patient health and psychosocial characteristics. Prev Med. 2005 Jan;40(1):71-82.

King WC, Brach JS, Belle S, Killingsworth R, Fenton M, Kriska AM. The relationship between convenience of destinations and walking levels in older women. Am J Health Promot. 2003 Sep-Oct;18(1):74-82.