Jerica Berge

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Credentials

PhD, MPH, LMFT, CFLE

Bio

Dr. Berge is a professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health as well as the inaugural holder of the Carole J. Bland, PhD Endowed Chair at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Berge is both a researcher and behavioral medicine clinician. She is a licensed mental health therapist and supervisor who specializes in integrated care and community-based partnerships to address family health issues. Her NIH research agenda focuses on conducting both childhood obesity prevention and treatment studies within primary care settings with the ultimate goal of decreasing childhood obesity disparities in low-income and minority households. She is also the director of the Healthy Eating and Activity across the Lifespan (HEAL) Center and the Principal Investigator of the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) K-12 grant. Additionally, she is the director of the Center for Women in Medicine and Science (CWIMS) at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Research Summary

Dr. Berge's NIH research agenda focuses on weight and weight-related health behaviors across the lifespan, families and health, women's health, and integrated care. She conducts both childhood obesity prevention and treatment studies within primary care settings with the ultimate goal of decreasing childhood obesity disparities in low-income and minority households. Dr. Berge has expertise in conducting mixed methods studies that include observational methods such as, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and video-recorded family tasks, as well as quantitative survey data to more fully understand the complex family dynamics and processes related to physical activity and dietary behaviors in children and adolescents. Dr. Berge is one of the most cited authors on family dynamics and childhood obesity with over 125 publications, 300 presentations and 20 book chapters on related topics. She has an impressive funding trajectory including NIH K12, R03, R13, R21, R56, and R01 grants funded across several different institutes including NHLBI, NIDDK, and NICHD. Dr. Berge also serves on several NIH study sections including the Psychosocial Risk and Disease Prevention study section at NIH and several special interest study sections.

Clinical Summary

Depression, anxiety, PTSD/stress response, and weight-related behaviors.