Babette S. Zemel, PhD
Research Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition)
Director, Nutrition and Growth Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Co-Director, Clinical Grant Proposal Success program, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Department: Pediatrics
Graduate Group Affiliations
Contact information
Division of GI, Hepatology and Nutrition
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Roberts Center for Pediatric Research
2716 South Street, 14th Floor/Room 14471
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4399
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Roberts Center for Pediatric Research
2716 South Street, 14th Floor/Room 14471
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4399
Office: 215-590-1669
Lab: 215-313-4299
Lab: 215-313-4299
Email:
ZEMEL@EMAIL.CHOP.EDU
ZEMEL@EMAIL.CHOP.EDU
Publications
Links
Search PubMed for articles
Metabolism, Nutrition and Physical Development Research Affinity Group, The Research Institute, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Pediatric Z-Score Calculator
Growth charts for children with Down syndrome
Search PubMed for articles
Metabolism, Nutrition and Physical Development Research Affinity Group, The Research Institute, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Pediatric Z-Score Calculator
Growth charts for children with Down syndrome
Education:
B.A. (Anthropology)
University of Pennsylvania, 1979.
M.A. (Anthropology)
University of Pennsylvania, 1985.
Ph.D. (Anthropology)
University of Pennsylvania, 1989.
Permanent linkB.A. (Anthropology)
University of Pennsylvania, 1979.
M.A. (Anthropology)
University of Pennsylvania, 1985.
Ph.D. (Anthropology)
University of Pennsylvania, 1989.
Description of Research Expertise
Dr. Zemel is a Biological Anthropologist by training, and Professor of Pediatrics at The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Her overall research program aims to improve understanding of lifelong health and how it relates to childhood antecedents of physical growth and maturation, body composition, population ancestry/genetics, and lifestyle factors including diet and physical activity. Such understanding has public health implications for disease prevention and lifelong wellness, and addresses concerns for children across a wide spectrum of chronic diseases who experience impaired growth, altered body composition and limitations in nutrition and physical activity.Her research program has advanced understanding of bone mineral accretion from early childhood through adulthood, and the effects of growth, muscle development, physical activity, diet and genetics on bone health during this critical life phase. She also conducts research in childhood body composition and health outcomes in the general population and in children with chronic diseases, including Down syndrome, sickle cell disease, children with kidney disease, cardiac malformations, cancer survivors, inflammatory bowel disease and type 2 diabetes.
Selected Publications
Hantsoo L, Ford E, Friedman ES, Hao F, Patterson AD, Bittinger K, Wu GD, Zemel BS, Tanes C.: The impact of adverse childhood experiences on gut microbiota and markers of inflammation is mediated by obesity and depression. Brain Behav Immun 134: 106479, Feb 2026.Shirley Bezerra M, Zemel BS, Gallop RJ, Walega R, Donaldson SH, Frederick CA, Freedman SD, Gelfond D, Hoffman LR, Narkewicz MR, Rowe SM, Sagel SD, Schwarzenberg SJ, Solomon GM, Chan CL, Kelly A; PROMISE Endocrine Sub-study Group.: Longitudinal changes in bone mineral density after initiation of elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor in youth and adults with cystic fibrosis: PROMISE-ENDO. J Cyst Fibros Jan 2026.
Kelly A, Arputhan A, Zemel BS, Gidding SS, Townsend RR, Magge SN.: Arterial Stiffness and Central Hemodynamics in South Asian, African American, and White Adolescents and Young Adults-The Charisma Study. Am J Hypertens 39: 134-142, Jan 2026.
Decker JE, Morales K, Moll E, Husain S, Vajravelu ME, Jansen EC, Zemel BS, Mitchell JA.: Changes in Adolescent Diet Quality During the Middle to High School Transition. J Nutr Educ Behav 2026.
Decker, J. E., Morales, K. H., Chen, P. W., Master, L., Kwon, M., Jansen, E. C., Zemel, B. S., Mitchell, J. A.: Meal Timing Patterns and Associations with Fat Mass in Adolescents. medRxiv 2026.
Gollamudi, J., Wu, C., Kang, G., Lamonica, M. S., Chen, P. L., Srinivasan, R., El-Bashir, K., Hankins, J., Rai, P., Takemoto, C., Hyacinth, H. I., Allen, M. R., Zemel, B. S., Adesina, O.: Prevalence of Low Bone Mineral Density Increases With Age in Sickle Cell Disease. EJHaem 7: e70306, 2026.
Hitt, T. A., Kelly, A., Stefanovski, D., Zemel, B. S., McCarter, R., Yanek, L., Zandieh, G., Ozdemir, I., Kamel, I. R., Hui, S. C. N., Barker, P., Magge, S. N.: Insulin Hypersecretion and Increased Ectopic Fat in South Asian American Adolescents and Young Adults Compared With White and African American Peers: The CHARISMA Study. Diabetes Care 49(6): 1057-1066, 2026.
Kogon, A. J., Chatterjee, A., Kellom, K., LoGuidice, J., Zemel, B. S., Schwartz, L., Mitchell, J. A., Amaral, S.: Identifying Barriers and Facilitators to Physical Activity Participation Among Adolescents With CKD: A Qualitative Study Using Semi-Structured Interviews. Kidney Med 8(5): 101312, 2026.
Zemel, B. S., Mitchell, J. A., Kelly, A., Weber, D. R., McCormack, S. E., Lappe, J. M., Oberfield, S. E., Duren, D. L., Shepherd, J. A., Cataldi, D., Grant, S. F. A., Kalkwarf, H. J.: Geometry of the proximal femur during growth and its contribution to childhood fractures in healthy children. J Bone Miner Res 2026.
Ziolkowski SL, Long J, Nickolas TL, Bender S, Goral S, Zemel BS, Rajapakse CS, Dienemann T, Leonard MB.: Corticosteroid, Parathyroid Hormone, and Body Composition Associations With Bone Density and Structure Following Kidney Transplantation. Am J Kidney Dis 2026.