Professor of Maternal and Child Health
Department of Maternal and Child Health
'+86-027-83692755
* jd_zh@hust.edu.cn
Academic Areas
Child Obesity and NDCs Epidemiology / Child Nutrition and Growth / Early Childhood Development
Research Interests
l Epidemiological studies to investigate the contribution of environmental factors (diet/lifestyle) and genetic susceptibility to the development of obesity and NCDs among children and underlying epigenetic mechanisms;
l Maternal obesity/GDM and near and long-term consequences, and underlying biomolecular mechanisms
l Nutrition and lifestyle intervention studies target women and children with or at a high risk of non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes;
l Studies on child development, especially the early adversity and early child development (ECD) and long-term consequences; intervention studies to promote ECD.
l Public Health Policies studies, especially on childhood obesity prevention and ECD Equality Promotion
Selected Professional Affiliations
President of Hubei Early Childhood Comprehensive Development Research Society
Member of the Standing Committee of the Public Health Branch of China Maternal and Child Health Association
Member of Obesity Prevention and Control Section of Chinese Nutrition Society
Member of Obesity Prevention and Control Section of Chinese Association for Student Nutrition & Health Promotion
Member of Growth, Development and Nutrition group, Child health branch, Chinese Preventive Medicine Association
Youth Commission of Child Growth and Development Branch of Child Health Care Society under China Preventive Medicine Association
Courses Taught
Child Growth and Development/Basic Biostatistics/Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control/
Systematic Management of Maternal and Child Health in China
Awards and Honors
2009 The National Advanced Achievement Prize on the research project “Reliability and validity of Chinese standardized version of Infant and Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment”
2012-2015 Chief consultant for “Health Promotion of Youth in China - a Voluntary Program”initiated by the China Youth Volunteer Association under the Communist Youth League Center, funded by the World Diabetes Fund (WDF)
Education
2014-2015 Master of International Development Policy (MIDP), Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
2005-2008 Ph.D. Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, Hubei, China
2001-2004 MSc Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
1994‑1999 B.S., Tongji Medical University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
Professional/working Experience
2016-present Professor, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
2017-2019 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) China Office, Health and Nutrition Officer
2009-2016 Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
2009-2010 Visiting Scholar, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2004-2009 Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
1999‑2004 Fellow, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Past and ongoing projects, funding, programs
2021-2024 Potential Role of Gut Microbiota and Related Metabolites in the Association Between Obesity and Impaired Executive Function in Preschool Children, NSFC, PI
2021-2022 Early development promotion project for vulnerable children, Hubei Women and Children’s Development Foundation, PI
2021-2022 Research on the support mode and promotion mechanism of early childhood development in the post-epidemic era, the China Association for science and technology supported the Hubei post-epidemic revitalization project, PI
2017-2020 The association between childhood obesity and the intrauterine over nutrition status and DNA methylation of obesity-related genes - a cohort study from early pregnancy, NSFC, PI
2014-2016 Role of interaction among genes and early lifestyle in the development of obesity in infants and toddlers. NSFC, PI
Select Publications
Books, patents
1. Zhang J. Infant and Toddler Feeding. In: Liegang Liu. Maternal and Child Nutrition. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2017
2. Zhang J. Disease Burden of Women and Children. In: Deliang Wen. Global Health of Women and Children. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2017.
3. Zhang J. Infant and Toddler Nutrition. In: Shuhua Shi. Child Health Care (3rd). Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2014
4. Zhang J. Neonatal Care. In: Zengqing Li, Guidance for Maternal Health. Beijing: Jindun Publications, 2010
5. Zhang J. Early education, immunization program and injury prevention for children. In: Yukai Du Maternal and Child Care. Beijing: People's Health Publishing House Publications, 2009.
Journal Articles
* Corresponding author, # first author
1. Chang R, Li C, Qi H, Zhang Y and Zhang J *. Birth and Health Outcomes of Children Migrating With Parents:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front. Pediatr. 2022, 10:810150. doi: 10.3 389/fped.2022.810150
2. Wen Peng#, Jianduan Zhang#, Youfa Wang*. The 2022 World Obesity Day and obesity prevention and control efforts in China. Global Health Journal, 2022 (GLOHJ-D-22-00055).
3. Effects of high protein diet on anthropometric indices and blood lipid in overweight and obese children:a Meta-analysis. Yanfen Jiang, Miyuan Wang, Jianduan Zhang*. Chinese Journal of Pediatrics, 2022, 60(5) : 426-434.
4. Xu K, Zhang Y, Dong W, Tuerxun P, Li C, Chang R, Qi Hai, Zhang Y, Zhang J*. The Mediation Role of Health Behaviors in the Association between Self-Regulation and Weight Status among Preschool Children: A Sex-Specific Analysis. Nutrients 2022, 14(9), 1692;
5. Mei H, Yin B, Yang W, Zhang J, Lu H, Qi X, Mei W, Zhang H, Zhang J*. Associations between Gene-Gene Interaction and Overweight/Obesity of 12-Month-Old Chinese Infants. Biomed Res Int. 2022 Mar 7; 2022:1499454.
6. Chang R, Mei H, Zhang Y, Xu K, Yang S*, Zhang J*. Early childhood body mass index trajectory and overweight/obesity risk differed by maternal weight status. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2022 Mar; 76(3):450-455.
7. Zhang Y, Mei H, Xu K, Li C, Chang R, Qi H, Zhang Y, Zhang J*. Associations between KCNQ1 and ITIH4 gene polymorphisms and infant weight gain in early life. Pediatric Research. 2021 Jul 10:1-6.
8. Zhang Y, Mei H, Xu K, Li C, Xia Z, Tan Y, Yang S*, Zhang J*. What links maternal pre-pregnancy BMI to early childhood BMI: a serial mediation analysis. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2021 Jul; 29(7):1164-1170.
9. Zhang Y, Mei H, Xu K, Li C, Xia Z, Tan Y, Yang S, Zhang J*. Association and potential mediators between socioeconomic status and childhood overweight/obesity. Prev Med. 2021 Feb 20; 146:106451.
10. J Sun, L Wu, Y Zhang, C Li, Y Wang, W Mei, J Zhang *. Association of the isolated high-fat mass index, large waist circumference and the risk of elevated blood pressure in preschoolers with normal body mass index. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2020 Sep; 74(9): 1325-1333.
11. J Sun, H Mei, S Xie, L Wu, Y Wang, W Mei, J Zhang *. The interactive effect of pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on the weight status in infancy. Sci Rep, 2019, 9(1): 1-9.
12. WU Li-sha; SUN Jia-hong; ZHANG Jian-duan*. Interactive effect of maternal postpartum depression and gestational weight gain on childhood obesity. Chinese Journal of Public Health. 2020, 36 (11): 1553-1558.
13. Hong M, Guo S, Lu H, Pan Y, Mei W, Zhang B, Zhang J*. Impact of parental weight status on children’s body mass index in early life: evidence from a Chinese cohort. BMJ Open. 2018; 0:e018755.
14. Huang Y, Yin B, Liang X, Mei H, Lu H, Xie S, Bei W, Mei W, Zhang J*. Effect of maternal glycemia and weight status on offspring birth measures and BMI-z among Chinese population in the first year. Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 22;7(1):16030.
15. Hong M, Guo S, Lu H, Pan Y, Mei W, Zhang B, Zhang J*. Impact of parental weight status on children’s body mass index in early life: evidence from a Chinese cohort. BMJ Open. 2017; 0:e018755.
16. Johansson E*, Mei H, Xiu L, Svensson V, Xiong Y, Marcus C, Zhang J*, Hagströmer M. Physical activity in young children and their parents–An Early STOPP Sweden–China comparison study. Sci Rep. 2016 Jul 12; 6:29595.
17. Mei H, Johansson E, Hagströmer M, Xiong Y, Zhang L, Zhang J*, Marcus C. Physical Activity Levels in Chinese One-Year-Old Children and Their Parents, an Early STOPP China Study. PloS one. 2016 Apr 14; 11(4): e0153605.
18. Mei H, Xiong Y, Xie S, Guo S, Li Y, Guo B, Zhang J*. The impact of long-term school-based physical activity interventions on body mass index of primary school children–a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC public health. 2016 Mar 1; 16(1): 1.
19. Mei H, Guo B, Yin B, Liang X, Adair L, Thompson A, Zhang J*. Interactive Effects of Early Exclusive Breastfeeding and Pre-Pregnancy Maternal Weight Status on Young Children’s BMI–A Chinese Birth Cohort. PloS one. 2015 Dec 7; 10(12): e0144357.
20. Guo B, Mei H, Yang S, Zhang J*. The associated factors of high body mass index in infants and toddlers. Chinese Journal of Paediatric. 2014; 52(6): 464-467.
21. Zhang J, Himes JH, Guo Y, Jiang J, Yang L, Lu Q, Ruan H, Shi S. Birth weight, growth and feeding pattern in early infancy predict overweight/obesity status at two years of age: a birth cohort study of Chinese infants. PLoS One. 2013 Jun 5;8(6): e64542.
22. Zhang J, Jiang J, Himes JH, Zhang J, Liu G, Huang X, Guo Y, Shi J, Shi S. Determinants of high weight gain and high BMI status in the first three months in urban Chinese infants. American Journal of Human Biology. 2012 Sep 1; 24(5): 633-9.
23. Cao YT, Svensson V, Marcus C, Zhang J, Zhang J*, Sobko T. Eating behaviour patterns in Chinese children aged 12-18 months and association with relative weight-factorial validation of the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2012 Jan 24; 9(1): 1.
