Furong Xu

  • Professor
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Phone: 401.874.2412
  • Email: fxu2007@uri.edu

Biography

Dr. Furong Xu’s research focuses on ways and strategies lead to an increased physical activity participation in different age groups and beneficial effects of physical exercise. Dr. Xu also studies the factors associated with physical activity opportunities and behavioral choices of physical activity. Her research encompasses the fields of physical activity assessment and lifetime physical activity.

Research

Lifetime Physical Activity; Physical Activity Assessment; Curriculum and Instruction; Physical Education Teacher Education

Education

  • Ph.D., Kinesiology (Physical Education and Sport Studies), University of Georgia
  • B.S., Physical Education, East China Normal University

Selected Publications

Kendall, C., Francis, S.L., Shelley, M., Ventura-Marra, M., Sahyoun, N.R., Monroe-Lord, L., Xu., F., Weidauer, L., & Arthur, A. (2023). Middle age and older adults: Their nutrition and physical activity needs and how best to address them. Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics. 42(2), 59-71. doi:10.1080/21551197.2023.2192186

Xu, F., Earp, J.E., Adami, A., Riebe, D., & Greene, G.W. (2023). Sex and race/ethnicity specific reference predictive equations for abdominal adiposity indices using anthropometry in US adults. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. 33(5), 956-966. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2023.03.001

Xu, F., Earp, J.E., Adami, A., Lofgren, I.E., Delmonico, M.J., Greene, G.W. & Riebe, D. (2022). The sex and racial/ethnic group specific relationships of body mass index, waist circumference to abdominal adiposity in US adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19(23), 15521. doi:10.3390/ijerph192315521

Xu, F., Earp, J.E., Adami, A., Weidauer, L., & Greene, G.W. (2022). The relationship of physical activity and diet quality with diabetes prevalence in US adults: Findings from NHANES 2011-2018. Nutrients. 14(16), 3324. doi: 10.3390/nu14163324.

Xu, F., Earp, J.E., LoBuono, D.L., & Greene, G.W. (2022). The relationship of physical activity and dietary quality with android fat composition and distribution in young and middle-aged US adults. Nutrients, 14(14), 2804. doi: 10.3390/nu14142804.

Xu, F., Greene, G.W., Earp, J.E., Adami, A., Delmonico, M.J., Lofgren, I.E., & Greaney, M.L (2020). The relationships of physical activity and dietary quality with body composition and fat distribution in US adults. Obesity (Silver Spring). 28(12), 2431-2440. doi: 10.1002/oby.23018

Xu, F., Cohen, S.A., Greaney, M.L., Earp, J.E., Delmonico, M.J. (2020) Longitudinal sex-specific physical function trends by age, race/ethnicity and weight status. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 68(10), 2270-2278. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16638 

Greaney, M.L., Cohen, S.A., Blissmer, B.J., Earp, J.E., & Xu, F. (2019). Age specific trend in health-related quality of life among US adults: Findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2016. Quality of Life Research, 28(12), 3249-3257. doi: 10.1007/s11136-019-02280-z

Xu, F., Adam, S.K., Cohen, S.A., Earp, J.E., & Greaney, M.L. (2019). Relationship between physical activity, screen time and sleep quantity and quality in US adolescents aged 16-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(9), 1524. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16091524.

Nobles, J., White, J., Tovar, A., Marchand, S., Xu, F., & Greene, G.W. (2019). The effect of a family-based dietary intervention on dietary fiber density in children ages 6-11 years. Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 34(2), 90-99. doi: 10.1097/TIN.0000000000000173

Xu, F., Cohen, S.A., Lofgren, I.E., Greene, G.W., Delmonico, M.J., & Greaney, M.L. (2019). The association between physical activity and metabolic syndrome in older adults with obesity. Journal of Frailty and Aging, 8(1), 27-32. doi: 10.14283/jfa.2018.34

MacNab, L., Francis, S.L., Lofgren, I.E., Violette, C., Shelley, M.C., Delmonico, M.J., & Xu, F. (2018). Factors influencing dietary intake frequencies and nutritional risk among community-residing older adults. Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, 37(3-4), 255-268doi: 10.1080/21551197.2018.1524809

Xu, F., Cohen, S.A., Lofgren, I.E., Greene, G.W., Delmonico, M.J., & Greaney, M.L. (2018). Relationship between diet quality, physical activity and health-related quality of life in older adults: Findings from 2007-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 22(9), 1072-1079. 

Xu, F., Cohen, S.A., Greaney, M.L., & Greene, G.W. (2018). The association between US adolescents’ weight status, weight perception, weight satisfaction, and their physical activity and dietary behaviors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(9), 1931. doi:10.3390/ijerph15091931.

Xu, F., Greaney, M.L., Cohen, S.A., Riebe, D., & Greene, G.W. (2018). Association between adolescents’ weight perception and health behaviors: Analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, 2011-2014. Journal of Obesity, 2018, 1-8. doi:10.1155/2018/3547856

Renna, E.N., Slezak, S.G., Mahoney, K.B., Lofgren, I.E., Hatfield, D., Delmonico, M.J. & Xu, F. (2017). The relationship between arthritis and muscular strength in older women with symptoms of sarcopenia. Journal of Aging Research & Clinical Practice, 6, 217-222. doi: 10.14283/jarcp.2017.29.

Xu, F., Marchand, S., Corcoran, C., DiBiasio, H., Clough, R., Dyer, C.S., Nobles, J., White, J., Greaney, M.L. & Greene, G.W. (2017). A community-based nutrition and physical activity intervention for children who are overweight or obese and their caregivers. Journal of Obesity, 2017, 1-9. doi:10.1155/2017/2746595

Slezak, S.G., Mahoney, K.B., Renna, E.N., Lofgren, I.E., Xu, F., Hatfield, D.L. & Delmonico, M.J. (2017). Comparison of current sarcopenia classification criteria in older New England women. Journal of Aging Research & Clinical Practice, 6, 163-167. doi: 10.14283/jarcp.2017.21

Xu, F., Delmonico, M.J., Lofgren, I.E., Uy, K.M., Maris, S.A., Quintanilla, D., Taetzsch, A., Letendre, J., & Mahler, L. (2017). Effect of a combined Tai Chi, resistance training and dietary intervention on cognitive function in obese older women. Journal of Frailty and Aging, 6(3), 167-171.

Xu, F., Letendre, J., Bekke, J., Beebe, N., Mahler, L., Lofgren, I.E., & Delmonico, M.J. (2015). The effects of Tai Chi plus behaviorally-based dietary weight loss on physical functioning and coronary heart disease risk factors in community-dwelling obese older women. Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, 34(1), 50-65. doi:10.1080/21551197.2014.1003672

Maris, S.A., Quintanilla, D., Taetzsch, A., Picard, A., Letendre, J., Mahler, L., Lofgren, I.E., Xu, F., & Delmonico, M.J. (2014). The combined effects of Tai Chi, resistance training, and diet on physical function and body composition in obese older women. Journal of Aging Research, 2014, 1-8. doi:10.1155/2014/657851