Janet Ma

Janet Ma is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine-Pediatrics and Associate Program Director of the Med-Peds Residency Program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health. Her academic work focuses on intersectional health disparities, particularly examining how stress, stigma, and sociocultural factors influence mental and physical health outcomes across diverse populations. She leads research addressing weight stigma, racial/ethnic disparities, and the psychosocial dimensions of chronic disease prevention.

• Key Research Themes:
  • Impact of weight stigma on healthcare behaviors
  • Racial discrimination and disordered eating in Black communities
  • Biopsychosocial mechanisms of health inequities
• Methodological Expertise: Longitudinal studies, randomized controlled trials, and community-based participatory research

Her research demonstrates how societal stigma creates harmful feedback loops affecting both individual health behaviors and systemic healthcare practices. Recent studies highlight the cyclical relationship between socioeconomic stigma and physiological stress responses, with interventions targeting anti-fat bias showing measurable improvements in provider-patient interactions. She actively contributes to antiracism initiatives in medical education and has pioneered mindfulness-based interventions to combat body dissatisfaction.

Janet Ma's work bridges clinical medicine, public health, and social science, emphasizing actionable solutions to reduce disparities in obesity care, HIV prevention, and pediatric/adolescent health. Her findings have informed policy recommendations on food access equity and culturally competent medical training.