Michael R Thomsen, PhD

Research Program: Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Faculty Rank: Professor and Governor Sidney S. McMath Chair in Obesity Prevention Campus: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College: College of Public Health Department: Health Policy & Management

Cancer Research Interest

• Disease Site Focus: No Specific Disease Site
• Research Focus Area: Prevention, Health Disparities, Informatics
• Type of Research: Population Sciences
• Research Keywords: obesity prevention, food insecurity, food assistance programs, food is medicine, physical activity
• Research Interest Statement: My research program emphasizes obesity prevention with specific focuses on access to healthy foods, food insecurity, food assistance programs, nutrition policy, and physical activity. According to the National Cancer Institute, obesity is linked to 13 types of cancer. Moreover, obesity is associated with worse prognosis and quality of life among cancer patients and survivors. I am presently leading a USDA-funded project to implement and evaluate a produce prescription program for cancer patients and survivors at high risk for food insecurity. The project holds the promise of making a meaningful difference in connecting vulnerable patients to the foods needed to support their treatment and wellbeing while providing knowledge and skills needed to maintain long-term nutritional security in the face of financial constraints made worse by cancer. Lessons learned through the project will be used to better integrate an awareness of food insecurity into oncology practice and ultimately reduce the financial burden that cancer places on patients and their families. In addition to USDA, my research program is supported by extramural funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities.

Contact Information

• Email Address: MTHOMSEN@UAMS.EDU
• Profiles Research Networking Software: View Profile

Active Grants

• National Institute of Food and Agriculture – 2025-70424-44405
  “HOPE for Cancer: Healthy Outcomes through Produce Prescriptions and Education”
  Principal Investigator
  1/15/2025 – 1/14/2027
• NIH/Nat. Inst. of Mental Health – 1R01MH133857
  “The Impact of School Meal Delivery on Behavioral Disorders among Children in Health Disparity Populations”
  Principal Investigator
  6/21/2023 – 5/31/2026
• NIH/National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities – 1R01MD018192
  “The Little Rock Green Schoolyard Initiative: Changing Community Norms and Improving Opportunities for Physical Activity”
  Principal Investigator
  9/18/2022 – 4/30/2026

Recent Publications

• Brown CC, Tilford JM, Thomsen M, [et al.]. Risk of adverse infant outcomes associated with maternal mental health and substance use disorders. Archives of women's mental health. 2024. PMID: 39320568. PMCID: PMC11932945.
• DuBois D, Sundell J, Thomsen MR, Brown CC. Impact of the 2022 Infant Formula Shortage on Self-Reported Rates of Anxiety and Depression: Evidence from the Household Pulse Survey. The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing. 2024 38(3):326-333. PMID: 39074328. PMCID: PMC11296491.
• Park YM, Baek JH, Lee HS, [et al., including Thomsen MR]. Income variability and incident cardiovascular disease in diabetes: a population-based cohort study. European heart journal. 2024 45(21):1920-1933. PMID: 38666368.
• Barenie MJ, Howie EK, Weber KA, [et al., including Thomsen MR]. Where the children play: Gender gaps in recess physical activity by age and playground area. Preventive medicine reports. 2024 41:102699. PMID: 38560596. PMCID: PMC10981088.
• Barenie MJ, Howie EK, Weber KA, Thomsen MR. Evaluation of the Little Rock Green Schoolyard initiative: a quasi-experimental study protocol. BMC public health. 2023 23(1):1022. PMID: 37254110. PMCID: PMC10228067.
• Kim B, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM Jr, [et al.]. Impact of Weight Status Reporting on Childhood Body Mass Index. Childhood obesity (Print). 2022 18(7):485-493. PMID: 35196146. PMCID: PMC9529310.
• Cuadros-Meñaca A, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM Jr. Evaluation of Delivering Breakfast After the Bell and Academic Performance Among Third-Grade Children: An Application of the Synthetic Control Method. The Journal of school health. 2022 92(7):665-673. PMID: 35289398.
• Fang D, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM Jr, Yang W. Food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from a survey of low-income Americans. Food security. 2022 14(1):165-183. PMID: 34254010. PMCID: PMC8262589.
• Kim B, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM Jr, Goudie A. The effect of gender-specific labor market conditions on children's weight. Health economics review. 2021 11(1):44. PMID: 34855042. PMCID: PMC8641227.
• Fang D, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM Jr. The association between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC public health. 2021 21(1):607. PMID: 33781232. PMCID: PMC8006138.
• Zare S, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM Jr, Goudie A. Use of Machine Learning to Determine the Information Value of a BMI Screening Program. American journal of preventive medicine. 2021 60(3):425-433. PMID: 33483154. PMCID: PMC8610445.
• Dunn RA, Nayga RM Jr, 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. PMID: 33748759. PMCID: PMC7958296.
• Schauder S, Thomsen MR, Nayga RM Jr. Agent-based modeling insights into the optimal distribution of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Preventive medicine reports. 2020 20:101173. PMID: 32923315. PMCID: PMC7475199.