Sue Groth centers her research on the study of obesity and the behavioral, genetic, and environmental factors that contribute to this complex disease. Specifically, Groth is interested in weight gain among pregnant women and the long-term effects of that weight on both mothers and their children.
The overall goal of Groth’s research is to develop interventions to prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy. She has used focus groups to gain an understanding of how pregnant African American women view weight gain, physical activity, and diet, and has studied the effect of genetic variations on weight gain.
Her research has been funded by national organizations such as the National Institute of Nursing Research, and she served as a co-investigator on a project funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute that explored the use of electronic technology to promote healthy pregnancies among women.
Groth’s work is informed by her 25-year career as a women’s health care practitioner, primarily caring for low-income underserved women and teens.
As a nurse scientist my goal is to improve the health of individuals, particularly as it relates to obesity. Obesity is a complex disease that is the result of genetic and environmental components. My research is focused on behavioral, genetic and environmental factors that contribute to obesity. As a women's health nurse practitioner my particular interest is the weight that women gain during childbearing and the long-term effects of that weight gain on both mothers and their children. The examination of gene x environment interactions is central to my research. My interest in the problem of obesity stems from years of practice where women frequently lamented that they gained weight when they had their children and then never lost it.