Sophia V. Hua, PhD, MPH

faculty photo
Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy
Faculty Affiliate, Center for Health Incentives and Behavior Economics, University of Pennsylvania
Senior Fellow , Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI)
Senior Fellow, Penn Center for Public Health, University of Pennsylvania
Core Faculty, Penn Center on Food and Nutrition Policy
Department: Medical Ethics and Health Policy

Contact information
Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy
The University of Pennsylvania
1105B Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Education:
BS (Psychology)
Yale University, 2015.
MPH (Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Yale School of Public Health, 2016.
PhD (Population Health Sciences - Public Health Nutrition)
Harvard , 2022.
Permanent link
 
> Perelman School of Medicine   > Faculty   > Details

Selected Publications

Hua SV, Klaiman T, Coratti S, White J, John A, Putt ME, Dixon E, Posner H, Volpp KG: Using a human-centered design framework and behavioral economic interventions to increase fruit and vegetable purchases in an online grocery store: study design and methodologies. Contemporary Clinical Trials 153, 2025.

Hua SV: A harm-reduction approach to eating out (Opinion Piece). STAT News 2024.

Gibson LA, Stephens-Shields AJ, Hua SV, Orr JA, Lawman HG, Bleich SN, Volpp KG, Bleakley A, Thorndike AN, Roberto CA: Comparison of sales from vending machines with 4 different food and beverage messages. JAMA Network Open 7(5): e249438, 2024.

Hua SV, Lee MM, Mozaffarian R, Bleich SN, Roberto CA, Fleming-Milici F, Stephenson B, Kenney EL: Impact of the Philadelphia beverage tax on beverage advertising expenditures and number of ads purchased. American Journal of Preventative Medicine 67(2): 274-281, 2024.

Lowery CM, Roberto CA, Hua SV, Bleich SN, Mitra N, Lawman HG, Taillie LS, Ng SW, Gibson LA: Impact of the Philadelphia beverage tax on perceived beverage healthfulness, tax awareness and tax opinions. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 56(5): 321-331, 2024.

Lowery CM, Roberto CA, Hua SV, Bleich SN, Mitra N, Lawman HG, Taillie LS, Ng SW, Gibson LA: Impact of the Philadelphia beverage tax on perceived beverage healthfulness, tax awareness and tax opinions. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 56(5): 321-331, 2024.

Lee MM, Gibson LA, Hua SV, Lowery CM, Paul M, Roberto CA, Lawman HG, Bleich SN, Mitra N, Kenney EL. : Advertising and stocking at small retailers: A sweetened beverage excise tax in Philadelphia. Am J Prev Med 66(3): 408-417, 2024.

Hua SV: Drink companies hide the sugar behind the vitamins (Opinion Piece). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2024 Notes: https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/guest-columns/2024/07/23/childrens-drinks-vitamins-advertising-sugar-diabetes/stories/202407230012.

Vercammen KA, Grummon AH, Zatz LY, Gago CM, Blocksidge M, Hua SV, Bleich SN, Stone S, Kenney E, Colchamiro R, Rimm EB: A descriptive analysis of redemption patterns by vendor type among WIC participants in Massachusetts. J Acad Nutr Diet 123(4): 626-36, 2023.

Hua SV, Kenney EL, Miller JM, Musicus AA, Roberto CA, Thorndike AN, Rimm EB: Naming Matters: Prompting Smaller Portions in an Online RCT. Am J Prev Med S0749-3797(23): 00036-3, 2023.

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Last updated: 10/30/2025
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