Jian Zhang

Associate Professor, Biostatistics | Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, GA, UNITED STATES

Jian Zhang's research focuses on chronic disease from both public health and preventative medicine perspectives.

Spotlight

Georgia Southern student research shows Georgia doing well in stopping spread of COVID-19 but is still home to 4 of the nation’s 10 highest counties for mortality rate

2020-06-16

Covering coronaviruses? Let an epidemiologist from Georgia Southern University help with your coverage

2020-01-24

Biography

Jian Zhang had worked with the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization prior to moving to US for an advanced degree. He obtained a Doctorate in Public Health from the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA. Before he joined the faculty of Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health in 2008, he had worked with the University of South Carolina, Institute of Family in Society, and the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA.

Areas of Expertise (8)

Coronavirus

Public Health Surveillance

Vaccine-preventative Diseases

Epidemiology

Chronic Diseases

Global Health

Mental Health

COVID-19

Accomplishments (1)

Recipient, Faculty Awards of Research Excellence, Georgia Southern University

2015

Education (3)

University of South Carolina: DrPH., Epidemiology 2002

Fudan University: M.Sc., Health Service Research 1992

Shanxi Medical University: M.D., Preventative Medicine 1984

Links (4)

Media Appearances (2)

Scientists Retract Study that Found Americans Had Given Up on Losing Weight

Gizmodo

2018-12-18

Senior author Jian Zhang, an epidemiologist at Georgia Southern University, told me at the time that one reason could be that people were trying less to lose weight because of their surrounding social environment. If the average weight of the population is higher, they theorized, a person who’s overweight might be less inclined to perceive their weight as being out of the ordinary and subsequently not feel motivated to lose weight...

More U.S. adults may be trying to lose weight, after all

Reuters

2018-12-18

Furthermore, “It looks like the proportion of adults trying to lose weight increased slightly,” said senior study author Jian Zhang, a public health researcher at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, in an email to Reuters Health...

Articles (3)

Overweight is associated with decreased cognitive functioning among school‐age children and adolescents

Obesity

Y Li, Q Dai, JC Jackson, J Zhang

2008 Objective: Childhood overweight and obesity have increased substantially in the past two decades, raising concerns about their psychosocial and cognitive consequences. We examined the associations between academic performance (AP), cognitive functioning (CF), and increased BMI in a nationally representative sample of children.

Relationships between body size satisfaction and weight control practices among US adults

The Medscape Journal of Medicine

RA Millstein, SA Carlson, JE Fulton, DA Galuska, J Zhang, HM Blanck, BE Ainsworth

2008 Objectives: Describe correlates of body size satisfaction and examine whether satisfaction was associated with trying to lose weight or specific weight control practices among US adults using a national sample of women and men.

Associations between body mass index and the prevalence of low micronutrient levels among US adults

Medscape General Medicine

JE Kimmons, HM Blanck, BC Tohill, J Zhang, LK Khan

2006 Background: Low micronutrient levels observed with increasing adiposity may result from inadequate nutrient intake and/or alterations in nutrient metabolism.