Bethany Barone Gibbs

Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs is trained in cardiovascular and physical activity epidemiology and studies the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disease through healthy lifestyle behaviors. Her research has recently focused on sedentary behavior, a behavior distinct from moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity.

She recently completed two clinical trials testing whether interventions that target reduced sedentary behavior can improve blood pressure and cardiovascular health in desk workers (NHLBI-funded RESET BP Study) and pregnancy health (AHA-funded SPRING Study). She is the Principal Investigator of an ancillary study to measure objective sedentary behavior and activity, pulse wave velocity, and heart rate variability among young women in the nuMoM2b Heart Health 2 Study cohort.

She leads the West Virginia University site for the Pregnancy 24/7 Study linking the 24-hour activity cycle across pregnancy with pregnancy outcomes (NHLBI), and is Co-PI of a follow-up study of the intergenerational effects of prenatal activity on offspring health (Pregnancy 24/7 Offspring Study, NHLBI). She currently serves as the immediate past Chair of the Lifestyle Council Physical Activity Committee and the Physical Activity lead on the Epidemiology Statistics Committee for the American Heart Association.

In her free time, Bethany enjoys theater, live music, her cats, vegetarian cooking, and getting outdoors with her husband and two children.