Eric Hodges, PhD, FNP-BC, FAAN
Associate Professor & Division Chair, Population and Biopsychosocial Health Innovations
School of Nursing
Campus Box #7460
ITS Manning
211 Manning Drive
Office: 4510
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460
Associate Professor & Division Chair, Population and Biopsychosocial Health Innovations
I am an Associate Professor in the School of the Nursing and the former Director of the Biobehavioral Lab (BBL) Core Facility at UNC School of Nursing, which specializes in addressing the interface of biological and psychosocial factors that underlie individual responses to acute and chronic illnesses. My own research focuses on the role of caregiver/infant-toddler dyadic responsiveness during feeding in the development of the young child’s self-regulation of feeding, with a primary interest in the area of early childhood obesity prevention. The goal of my work is to understand developmental trajectories in this area from infancy through toddlerhood, with more recent research into influences of this period on later childhood.
I have expertise in observational methods and co-developed the Responsiveness to Child Feeding Cues Scale, which has been used internationally. My studies have primarily involved longitudinal data and, due to their mixture of observational coding, anthropometric measurement, self-report questionnaires, and recent addition of physiologic data, are time-intensive and complex in regard to data management, coding, and analysis. My recent research efforts are directed toward interventions to enhance feeding responsiveness and self-regulation during early childhood. My initial intervention study (R21HD082707 Enhancing Caregiver-Infant Communication to Prevent Obesity) completed data collection in April 2019 and I currently have a R01 based on this work under review at NICHD. Finally, in addition to my research background, I am a certified Family Nurse Practitioner with experience in the demands of primary clinical care. This clinical background informs my thinking in the design of research studies. I have served as a research advisor for undergraduate Honors students, MSN students, doctoral students in nursing, nutrition, and medicine, and post-doctoral fellows in developmental science.
Date | Honor |
May 2021 | H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Excel) Award, UNC-CH School of Nursing |
November 2018 | Fellow, American Academy of Nursing |
May 2018 | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing Faculty Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentorship and Education (Nominated) |
January 2018 | Carrington Leave 2018 |
May 2009 | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar |
June 2009 | Dannon Leadership Institute |
July 2007 | Nominated for One-Year Sponsored Membership in the American
Association for the Advancement of Science/Science Program for Excellence in Science |
July 2006 | Early Career Best Paper, International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting |
2003-2004 | Isabel Hampton Robb Scholarship Award, Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. |
2001-2003 | Lindeman Scholar, Oregon Health & Sciences University |
2001-2003 | Pearson Scholar, Oregon Health & Science University |
June 1996 | Faculty Award, Highest Scholastic Average in Class of 1996, UT-Memphis |
June 1996 | Graduation with Highest Honors, UT-Memphis |
1996 | Induction into Sigma Theta Tau International |
1990-1994 | Dean’s List, UNC-CH, Four of Six Semesters on Campus |
Fisher, J. O. & Hodges, E. A. (2006). Determinants and consequences of pediatric obesity: Comments on Chaput and Tremblay, and Ventura, Savage, May, and Birch. In R. E. Tremblay, R. G. Barr, & R. DeV. Peters (Eds.), Encyclopedia of early childhood development [online]. Montreal, Quebec: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development; 2006: 1-7. Available at: http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/Pages/PDF/Fisher-HodgesANGxp.pdf
Mårtensson, S., Hodges, E. A., Knutsson, S., Hjelm, C., Broström, A., Swanson, K. M., & Björk, M. (2020). Caring Behavior Coding Scheme based on Swanson’s Theory of Caring – development and testing among undergraduate nursing students. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12927
Wasser, H. M., Thompson, A. L., Suchindran, C. M., Goldman, B. D., Hodges, E. A., Heinig, M. J., & Bentley, M. E. (2020). Home-based intervention for non-Hispanic Black families finds no significant difference in infant size or growth: Results from the Mothers & Others randomized controlled trial. BMC Pediatrics, 20(1), 385. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02273-9 *
Hodges, E. A., Propper, C. B., Estrem, H., & Schultz, M. B. (2020). Feeding during infancy: Interpersonal behavior, physiology, and obesity risk. Child Development Perspectives, 14(3), 185-191. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12376 ‡†
Bahorski, J. S., Childs, G. D., Loan, L. A., Azuero, A., Chandler-Laney, P. C., Rice, M., Hodges, E. A., Thompson, A. L., Wasser, H. M., & Bentley, M. E. (2020). Parental self-efficacy in new mothers predicts infant growth trajectories. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 42(4), 254-261. doi: 10.1177/0193945919854464 *†
Lin, C. Y., Imani, V., Broström, A., Huus, K., Björk, M., Hodges, E. A., & Pakpour, A. H. (2019). Psychological distress and quality of life in Iranian adolescents with overweight/obesity: mediating roles of weight bias internalization and insomnia. Eating and Weight Disorders-Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s40519-019-00795-5 *
Bahorski, J. S., Childs, G. D., Loan, L. A., Azuero, A., Morrison, S. A., Chandler-Laney, P. C., Hodges, E. A., & Rice, M. (2019). Self-efficacy, infant feeding practices, and infant weight gain: An integrative review. Journal of Child Health Care, 23(2), 286-310. doi: 10.1177/1367493518788466 †
Connors, J. T., Hodges, E. A., DʼAuria, J., & Windham, L. (2018). Implementing vaccine hesitancy screening for targeted education. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 30(8), 450–459. doi:10.1097/JXX.0000000000000056 *†
Cheng, M.-L., Tseng, Y.-H., Hodges, E., & Chou, F.-H. (2018). Lived experiences of novice male nurses in Taiwan. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 29(1), 46–53. doi:10.1177/1043659616676318 *
Thoyre, S. M., Pados, B. F., Park, J., Estrem, H., McComish, C., & Hodges, E. A. (2018). The pediatric eating assessment tool: factor structure and psychometric properties. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 66(2), 299–305. doi:10.1097/MPG.0000000000001765 *
Leeman, J., Beeber, L., Hodges, E., Kneipp, S., Toles, M., Yeo, S. A., & Zègre-Hemsey, J. (2018). Engaging national and regional partners to accelerate broad-scale implementation of nurse-developed interventions. Nursing Outlook, 66(1), 18–24. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2017.08.014
Wasser, H. M., Thompson, A. L., Suchindran, C. M., Hodges, E. A., Goldman, B. D., Perrin, E. M., … Bentley, M. E. (2017). Family-based obesity prevention for infants: Design of the “Mothers & Others” randomized trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials.
Calvi, J. L., Chen, F. R., Benson, V. B., Brindle, E., Bristow, M., De, A., Entringer, S., Findlay, H., Heim, C., Hodges, E. A., Klawitter, H., Lupien, S., Rus, H. M., Tiemensma, J., Verlezza, S., Walker, C.-D. and Granger, D. A. (2017). Measurement of cortisol in saliva: a comparison of measurement error within and between international academic-research laboratories. BMC Research Notes 10(1), 479. doi:10.1186/s13104-017-2805-4 *
Brody, A. A., Farley, J. E., Gillespie, G. L., Hickman, R., Hodges, E. A., Lyder, Cl, Palazzo, S. J., Ruppar, T., Schiavenato, M., & Pesut, D. J. (2017) Diversity dynamics: The experience of male Robert Wood Johnson Foundation nurse faculty scholars, Nursing Outlook, 65(3), 278-288. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2017.02.004. *
Hodges E. A., Rowsey P., Gray T., Kneipp S., Giscombe C., Foster B., Alexander G., Kowlowitz V. (2017). Bridging the gender divide: Facilitating the educational path for men in nursing. Journal of Nursing Education. 56(5) 295-299. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20170421-08 *
Connors, J. T., Slotwinski, K. L., & Hodges, E. A. (2016). Provider-parent communication when discussing vaccines: A systematic review. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2016.11.002 †
White, C., Murphy, T., Hodges, E. A., & Berry, D. C. (2016). Barriers for Hispanic caregivers with obese preschool children. Hispanic Health Care International, 14(3), 141-155. doi: 1177/1540415316665355 †
Hodges, E. A., Wasser, H. M., Colgan, B. K., & Bentley, M. E. (2016). Development of feeding cues during infancy and toddlerhood. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 41(4), 244. doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000251 *
Woods-Giscombe, C., Rowsey, P. J., Kneipp, S. M., Owens, C. W., Sheffield, K. M., Galbraith, K. V., Hammad, S., Fowler, T., Hodges, E. A., Kowlowitz, V., & Alexander, G. R. (2015). Underrepresented students’ perspectives on institutional climate during the application and admission process to nursing school. Journal of Nursing Education, 54(5), 261-269. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20150417-03 *
Hickey, K. T., Hodges, E. A., Thomas, T. L., Coffman, M. J., Taylor-Piliae, R. E., Johnson-Mallard, V. M., . . . Casida, J. M. (2014). Initial evaluation of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation nurse faculty scholars program. Nursing Outlook, 62(6), 394-401. doi: 1016/j.outlook.2014.06.004 *
Kneipp, S. M., Rowsey, P. J., Giscombe, C., Hodges, E. A., Fowler, T., & Alexander, R. (2014). Countering the influence of cultural hegemony on choosing a nursing career: A group-mentoring approach for student recruitment. The Journal of Nursing Education, 53(5), 296-299. doi:10.3928/01484834-20140408-02
Park, J., Thoyre, S., Knafl, G. J., Hodges, E. A., & Nix, W. B. (2014). Efficacy of semielevated side-lying positioning during bottle-feeding of very preterm infants: A pilot study. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 28(1), 69-79. *†
Finney, J. M., Hamilton, J. B., Hodges, E. A., Pierre-Louis, B. J., Crandell, J. L., & Muss, H. B. (2014). African American cancer survivors: Do cultural factors influence symptom distress? Journal of Transcultural Nursing: Official Journal of the Transcultural Nursing Society / Transcultural Nursing Society, doi:1043659614524251 *†
Thoyre, S., Pados, B., Park, J., Estrem, H., Hodges, E. McComish, C., Van Riper, M., & Murdock, K. (2014). Development and content validation of the Pediatric Eating Assessment Tool (Pedi-EAT). American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 23, 1-14. doi: 10.1044/1058-0360(2013/12-0069) *
Runfola, C. D., Zucker, N. L., Holle, A. V., Mazzeo, S., Hodges, E. A., Perrin, E. M.,…Bulik, C. M. (2014). NURTURE: Development and pilot testing of a novel parenting intervention for mothers with histories of an eating disorder. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 47(1), 1-12. doi: 10.1002/eat.22178 *
Robinson, J., Hodges, E. A., & Davison, J. (2013). Prostate specific antigen screening: A critical review of current research and guidelines. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12094 †
DiSantis, K. I., Hodges, E. A., & Fisher, J. O. (2013). The association of breastfeeding duration with later maternal feeding styles in infancy and toddlerhood: A cross-sectional analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 10(1), 53. *
Wasser, H. M., Thompson, A. L., Siega-Riz, A. M., Adair, L. S., Hodges, E. A., & Bentley, M. E. (2013). Who’s feeding baby? non-maternal involvement in feeding and its association with dietary intakes among infants and toddlers. Appetite, 71, 7-15. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.06.096 *†
Hoffman, E. R., Hodges, E. A., Propper, C., Zipkin, E. C., Bentley, M. E., Ward, D. S., . . . Bulik, C. M. (2013). Behavioral and psychophysiological responsiveness during child feeding in mothers with histories of eating disorders: A pilot study. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 1-14. *
Hughes, S. O., Frankel, L. A., Beltran, A., Hodges, E. A., Hoerr, S., Lumeng, J., Tovar, A., & Kremers, S. (2013). Food Parenting Measurement Working Group: Consensus Report Pre-Conference Meeting. Childhood Obesity, 9(S1), S95-S102. doi: 10.1089/chi.2013.0032
Hodges, E. A., Johnson, S. L., Hughes, S. O., Hopkinson, J. M., Butte, N. F., & Fisher, J. O. (2013). Development of the responsiveness to child feeding cues scale. Appetite, 65(0), 210-219. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.02.010 *
Hodges, E. A., Smith, C., Tidwell, S., & Berry, D. (2013). Promoting physical activity in preschoolers to prevent obesity: A review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 28(1), 3-19. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2012.01.002 *†
Hoffman, E. R., Bentley, M. E., Hamer, R. M., Hodges, E. A., Ward, D. S., & Bulik, C. M. (2012). A comparison of infant and toddler feeding practices of mothers with and without histories of eating disorders. Maternal & Child Nutrition, no-no. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00429.x *
DiSantis, K. I., Hodges, E. A., Johnson, S. L., & Fisher, J. O. (2011). The role of responsive feeding in overweight during infancy and toddlerhood: A systematic review. International Journal of Obesity, 35(4), 480-492. doi:10.1038/ijo.2011.3
Hodges, E. A., Kindermann, T., & Houck, G. M. (2009). Validity of the Nursing Child Assessment of Feeding Scale during toddlerhood. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 31(5), 662-678. doi: 10.1177/0193945909332265 *
Fisher, J. O., Butte, N. F., Mendoza, P. M., Wilson, T. A., Hodges, E. A., Reidy, K. C., & Deming, D. (2008). Overestimation of infant and toddler energy intake by 24-hour recall compared to weighed food records. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88 (2), 407-415. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.27309 *
Hodges, E. A., Hughes, S. O., Hopkinson, J. M., & Fisher, J. O. (2008). Maternal decisions about the initiation and termination of infant feeding. Appetite, 50, 333-339. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2007.08.010 *
Hodges, E. A., Kindermann, T., & Houck, G. M. (2007). Reliability of the Nursing Child Assessment of Feeding Scale during toddlerhood. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 30 (3), 109-130. doi: 10.1080/01460860701525204 *
Hodges, E. A. (2003). A primer on early childhood obesity and parental influence. Pediatric Nursing, 29(1), 13-16.
Training Grants
Role | Title | Total Direct Amount | Percent Effort | Agency | Dates |
Faculty | Interventions for Preventing and Managing Chronic Illness (PI: Santacroce & Leeman) | $2,900,502
Competing Continuation |
0% | NIH | 9/01-8/21 |
Faculty | Human Development: Interdisciplinary Research Training (PI: Hussong) | $2,772,218
Competing Continuation
|
0% | NIH | 9/88-4/21 |
Faculty | Research Training Fellowship in
Complementary and Integrative Healthcare (PI: Gaylord)
|
$2,158,737
Competing Continuation
|
0% | NIH | 7/07-6/22 |
Research Grants
Funded (Active)
Role | Title | Total Direct Amount | Percent Effort | Agency | Dates |
Co-I | An integrated approach to examine caregiver feeding persistence in offering vegetables to infants and toddlers (PI: Moding)
|
$164,998
|
o | Agriculture and Food Research Initiative/National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 1025553 | 04/2018-03/2024 |
PI | Intervention mapping for a novel obesity prevention
trial during infancy |
$2000 | 0 | NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, 2KR1221906 | 11/19-3/22 |
Funded (Completed)
Role | Title | Total Direct Amount | Percent Effort | Agency | Dates |
PI | Enhancing Caregiver-Infant Communication to Prevent Obesity | $228,000 | 20% | NIH/NICHD
R21HD082707
|
4/1/2016-3/31/18; no cost extension through 3/31/2019 |
Co-I | Mothers and others: Family-based obesity prevention for infants and toddlers. (PI: Bentley) | $2,981,380 | 5% | NIH/NICHD
R01HD073237
|
2012-2017; No cost extension through 6/2018 |
Co-I | Psychometric Field Test of the Pediatric Eating Assessment Tool (Pedi-EAT) (PI: Thoyre) | $5000 | 0% | UNC School of Nursing RSC | 12/15-12/16 |
PI | Self-regulation of energy intake during infancy | $2000 | 0% | NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, 2KR601403 | 4/1/15-7/31/16 |
Co-investigator | Preliminary randomized trial of amber glasses to improve melatonin release, sleep, and mood (PI: Youngstrom) | $33,623 | 0% | NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, 550KR91417 | 2015-2016 |
PI | Enhancing caregiver-infant communication to prevent obesity | $2000 | 0% | NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, 2KR471307 | 2013-2014 |
Co-I | Challenges to breastfeeding in late preterm mother-infant dyads (PI: Thoyre) | $2000 | 0% | NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, 2KR251106 | 2011-2013 |
PI | Comparison of patterns of maternal feeding responsiveness and infant growth from infancy into toddlerhood | $7500 | 0% | UNC-Chapel Hill Junior Faculty Development Award | 2011-2012 |
PI | Growing together: Parenting in the early years` | $2000 | 0% | NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute, 2KR131003 | 2010-2011 |
PI | Maternal feeding responsiveness and risk of obesity from infancy through early childhood | $350,000 | 75% | Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Nurse Faculty Scholar Program |
2009-2012 |
PI | Maternal feeding responsiveness and risk of obesity from infancy through early childhood | $350,000 | 75% | NIH/NINR 1 K23 NR011459-01 (Priority Score: 20) | *2009-2012
* Turned down to accept RWJF NFS |
Co-I | Dietary patterns and obesity risks among Latino infants and toddlers in North Carolina (PI: Perreira) | $35,000 | 0% | UNC Center for Excellence in Children’s Nutrition | 2008-2010 |
Co-I | Dietary patterns and obesity risks among Latino infants and toddlers in North Carolina (PI: Perreira) | $12,000 | 0% | UNC Program on Ethnicity, Culture, and Health Outcomes | 2008-2009 |
PI | Maternal feeding responsiveness during infancy and toddlerhood | $24,458 | 0% | UNC-Chapel Hill Clinical Nutrition Research Center, DK56350 | 2008-2009 |
Postdoctoral Fellow | Research Training in Maternal, Infant, and Child Nutrition (PI: Heird) | 100% | NIH/NICHHD, T32 HD007445 | 2005-2007 | |
PI | Early childhood feeding interactions | $3000 | 0% | Student Research Award, The Northwest Health Foundation | 2004-2005 |
PI | Early Childhood Feeding Interactions | $38,020 annually | 100% | Individual NRSA Research Training, Predoctoral Fellowship, NIH/NINR, 1F31 NR08651-01 | 2003-2005 |
Predoctoral Fellow | Risk Assessment and Intervention Research with Individuals and Families (PI: Houck) | 100% | Institutional NRSA Research Training, Predoctoral Fellowship, NIH/NINR, T32 NR07061 | 2001-2003 |
Other Funding (Completed)
Role | Title | Total Direct Amount | Percent Effort | Agency | Dates |
Co-I | Careers Beyond the Bedside | $640,000 | 5% | HRSA | 2014-2015 |