Jonathan A. Mitchell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition)
Member, Metabolism, Nutrition and Physical Development Research Affinity Group, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Member, Mobile Health Research Affinity Group, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Faculty Member, Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, University of Pennsylvania
Co-Director, Digital Health Innovation Core, Center for Human Phenomic Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Member, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Core Faculty Member, Center for Pediatric and Clinical Effectiveness, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Co-Director, Pediatric Sleep and Circadian Research Affinity Group, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Department: Pediatrics
Graduate Group Affiliations
Contact information
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Roberts Center for Pediatric Research
2716 South Street, Room 14363
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Roberts Center for Pediatric Research
2716 South Street, Room 14363
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Office: 267-426-1473
Email:
mitchellj2@chop.edu
mitchellj2@chop.edu
Publications
Education:
BSc (Hons) (Physiology)
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, 2004.
MSc (Human Nutrition)
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, 2006.
PhD (Exercise Science)
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 2011.
Permanent linkBSc (Hons) (Physiology)
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, 2004.
MSc (Human Nutrition)
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, 2006.
PhD (Exercise Science)
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 2011.
Description of Research Expertise
The overarching goal of my research is to help prevent chronic diseases in later life, by focusing on energetic behaviors (sleep, diet, and physical activity) and their impact on body composition during growth and development. My lab includes the Unit for Energetic Behavior Research that conducts multidisciplinary epidemiological studies, using sensors to measure locomotor activity, advanced imaging to measure body composition, detailed nutritional assessment to measure energy intake and dietary behavior, geospatial methods to measure the neighborhood environment, and DNA collection for gene-behavior interaction analyses. In addition, my lab’s Unit for Optimizing Behavioral Interventions uses the Multiphase Optimization Strategy framework to design digital interventions to improve energetic behavior profiles in childhood.Selected Publications
Zemel BS, Winer KK, Kelly A, Freedman D, Mitchell JA, Weber DR, McCormack SE, Lappe JM, Oberfield SE, Shepherd JA, Grant SFA, Kalkwarf HJ: Race-Neutral Pediatric Reference Ranges for Bone Mineral Density Predict Incident Fractures in Childhood. Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism Mar 2025 Notes: In press; accepted Mar 19th, 2025.Avitabile CM, Mota JP, Yeaman KM, Andrieux SJ, Lechtenberg L, Escobar E, Chuo J, Xanthopoulos MS, Faig W, O’Malley SM, Ford E, McBride MG, Paridon SM, Mitchell JA, Zemel BS: Creating a Digital Approach for Promoting Physical Activity in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension: A Framework for Future Interventions. Pulmonary Circulation 14(3): e12402, July 2024.
Kogon AJ, Maqsood AM, LoGuidice J, Amaral S, Meyers K, Mitchell JA: Sleep Duration and Blood Pressure in Youth Referred for Elevated Blood Pressure Evaluation. Pediatrics 154(1): e2023062940, Jul 2024.
Banker M*, Jansen EC*, Goodrich JM, English L, Dolinoy DC, Song PXK, Mitchell JA, Téllez-Rojo MM, Cantoral A, Peterson KE: Associations Between Sleep and Physical Activity Behavior Clusters and Epigenetic Age Acceleration in Mexican Adolescents. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise May 2024 Notes: *Joint first authors. In press (accepted May 15th, 2024).
Markiewitz ND, Lane-Fall M, Huang J, Mercer-Rosa L, Stack K, Mitchell J, O’Connor MJ, Rossano JW, Paridon S, Burstein DS, Edelson JB: Determinants of Reduced Exercise Capacity in Youth After Heart Transplant: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 4: 100075, Feb 2024.
Prout Parks E, Allison KC, Bruton Y, Khalil T, Mitchell JA: Gamification to Promote Physical Activity in Youth and Mothers with Obesity. Pediatric Exercise Science Page: 1-8, Feb 2024 Notes: In press, published ahead of print.
Cousminer D, Bradfield JP, Kember RL, Ulrich A, Balkiyarova Z, Alyass A, Aris IM, Bell JA, Broadaway KA, Chen Z, Chai JF, Davies NM, Fernandez-Orth D, Bustamante M, Fore R, Ganguli A, Heiskala A, Hottenga JJ, Íñiguez C, Kobes S, Leinonen J, Lowry E, Lyytikainen LP, Mahajan A, Pitkänen N, Schnurr TM, Have CT, Strachan DP, Thiering E, Vogelezang S, Wade K, Wang C, Wong A, Holm LA, Chesi A, Choong C, Cruz M, Elliott P, Franks S, Frithioff-Bøjsøe C, Gauderman WJ, Glessner JT, Gilsanz V, Griesman K, Hanson RL, Kaakinen M, Kalkwarf H, Kelly A, Kindler J, Kähönen M, Lanca C, Lappe J, Lee NR, McCormack S, Mentch FD, Mitchell JA, Mononen N, Niinikoski H, Oken E, Pahkala K, Sim X, Teo YY, Baier LJ, van Beijsterveldt T, Adair LS, Boomsma DI, de Geus E, Guxens M, Eriksson JG, Felix FD, Gilliland FD, Hansen T, Hardy R, Hivert MF, Holm JC, Jaddoe VWV, Järvelin MR, Lehtimäki T, Mackey DA, Meyre D, Mohlke KL, Mykkänen J, Oberfield S, Pennell CE, Perry JRB, Raitakari O, Rivadeneira F, Saw SM,Sebert S, Shepherd JA, Standl M, Sørensen TIA, Timpson NJ, Torrent M, Willemsen G, Hypponen E, Power C, McCarthy MI, Freathy RM, Widén E, Hakonarson H, Prokopenko I, Voight BF, Zemel BS, Grant SFA: Trans-Ancestral Genome-Wide Association Study of Longitudinal Pubertal Height Growth and Shared Heritability with Adult Health Outcomes. Genome Biology 25(1): 22, Jan 2024.
Fair M, Decker J, Fiks AG, Mayne S, Morales KH, Williamson AA, Mitchell JA: Optimizing Intervention Components for Sleep Promotion in Children in the Context of Obesity Prevention: The SLEEPY 2.0 Study Protocol. Frontiers in Sleep 2, Oct 2023 Notes: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsle.2023.1264532
Zemel BS, Shepherd JA, Grant SFA, Lappe JM, Oberfield SE, Mitchell JA, Winer KK, Kelly A, Kalkwarf HJ: Reference Ranges for Body Composition Indices by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry from the Bone Mineral Density in Childhood Study Cohort. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 118(4): 792-803, Oct 2023.
Husain S, Morales KH, Williamson AA, Mayne SL, Fiks AG, Basner M, Dinges DF, Zemel BS, Mitchell JA: The Neighborhood Environment and Sleep Health in Adolescents. Sleep Health 9(4): 512-518, Jun 2023.