Kara M. Whitaker

Kara M. Whitaker serves as Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Health and Human Physiology within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa. Her research focuses on modifiable lifestyle behaviors including sedentary behavior, physical activity, and sleep patterns across diverse populations.

Her primary research interests include physical activity epidemiology, sedentary behavior epidemiology, sleep epidemiology, maternal and child health, cardiovascular disease, and health disparities, with particular emphasis on at-risk groups including pregnant/postpartum women, rural populations, and marginalized communities. The Physical Activity and Women's Health Lab (PAWH) under her direction investigates determinants and health effects of lifestyle behaviors to inform behavioral interventions.

Dr. Whitaker's recent work demonstrates strong trends in pregnancy epidemiology (Pregnancy 24/7 cohort), postpartum cardiovascular health, and health equity applications. Her publications increasingly integrate objective activity monitoring with clinical outcomes, focusing on sedentary behavior reduction strategies and cardiovascular risk assessment in vulnerable populations.

• Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Award (2025)
• NIH-NHLBI R01 grant for Offspring Study (2023)
• American Heart Association special issue guest editor (2024)

She mentors multiple doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers including Lisa VanWiel, Jackie Dziewior, and Jacob Gallagher. Her lab has secured significant NIH funding including diversity supplements for the Pregnancy 24/7 Offspring Study. Current research initiatives include the Pregnancy 24/7 cohort examining 24-hour activity patterns, the Postpartum 24/7 study, and the Offspring Study tracking cardiovascular outcomes in children.