Dr Jenna Cummings

My research group studies the formation of food-related emotional expectancies, which are the anticipated emotional outcomes of eating different foods, and how these expectancies influence dietary intake. Expectancy challenge interventions reduce alcohol use in adolescents and adults and our research will lay the groundwork for expectancy challenge interventions targeting dietary intake in children, adolescents, and adults.

Social relationships influence eating behaviour; my research group investigates how eating behaviour reciprocally influences the formation and maintenance of social relationships. Our work will provide insight into psychosocial processes that may support or undermine personal and public health efforts at behaviour change.

Health-related behaviours including eating behaviour, substance use, physical activity, and sleep likely have multiplicative effects on morbidity and mortality, and simultaneously changing these behaviours has the potential to maximize health promotion while reducing healthcare costs. My research group examines how health-related behaviours co-occur and co-vary, providing knowledge that will enhance multiple health behaviour change strategies.