Research:
Aging, vitamins, minerals, nutrition, physical activity, and health promotion

Teaching:
Nutrition and chronic disease, current issues in foods

Outreach:
Nutrition, physical activity, and health promotion for older adults

Interests:
Dr. Johnson conducts research and health promotion programs with older people who receive community-based nutrition services. Her goals are to increase physical activity, improve dietary habits, and improve self-management of diabetes and other age-related conditions. She collaborates with many local, state, and federal agencies to improve the health and well being of older adults. Dr. Johnson is also part of a team of scientists funded by NIA to study centenarians (people aged 100 or older). Many students working with Dr. Johnson pursue the UGA Gerontology Certificate to enhance their careers in gerontology and nutrition. Graduates from Dr. Johnson's program are employed in academia and government, and as dietitians in nursing homes, home health care, hospitals, and community health promotion programs.

Education:

Selected Publications/Presentations:

Nutrition for Older Adults’ Health � NOAHnet : Website for nutrition education professionals, http://noahnet.myweb.uga.edu/

Fitzpatrick, S.E., Reddy, S., Lommel, T.S., Fischer, J.G., Speer, E.M., Stephens, H., Park, S., Johnson, M.A. for the Georgia Community Intervention. (2008). Physical activity and physical function improved following a community-based intervention in older adults in Georgia senior centers. Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, 27 (1-2), in press.

Johnson, M.A., Davey, A., Park, S., Hausman, D.B., Poon, L.W. for the Georgia Centenarian Study. (2008). Predictors of vitamin D status in African Americans and white octogenarians and centenarians in Georgia, Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging, in press.

Park, S., Johnson, M.A., Fischer, J.G. (2008). Practice guidelines for vitamin and mineral supplements for older adults: needs, barriers, and challenges. Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, in press.

Speer, E.M., Reddy, S., Lommel, T.S., Fischer, J.G., Park, S., Johnson, M.A. for the Georgia Community Intervention. (2008). Diabetes self-management behaviors and A1c improved following a community-based intervention in older adults in Georgia senior centers. Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly, 27 (1-2), in press.

Houston, D.K., Cesari, M., Ferruci, L., Cherubini, A., Maggio, D., Bartali, B., Johnson, M.A., Schwartz, G.G., Kritchevsky, S.B. (2007). Association between vitamin D status and physical performance: The InCHIANTI Study, Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. 62(4):440-6.

Martin, P., Kliegel, M., Rott, C. Poon, L. W., & Johnson, M. A. (2008). Age differences and changes of coping behavior in three age groups: Findings from the Georgia Centenarian Study. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, in press.

Johnson, M.A., Kimlin, M.G. (2006). Vitamin D, aging and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Grand Rounds, Nutrition Reviews, 64: 410-421.

Johnson MA, Davey A, Hausman DB, Park S, Poon LW. (2006). Dietary differences between centenarians residing in communities and in skilled nursing facilities: the Georgia Centenarian Study. Age 28:333-41.

Martin, P., Bishop, A., Poon, L., Johnson, M.A. (2006). Influence of personality and health behaviors on fatigue in late and very late life. Journals of Gerontology, B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 61(3), P161-6.  

Park, S., Johnson, M.A. (2006). What is an adequate dose of oral vitamin B12 in older people with poor vitamin B12 status? Nutrition Reviews, 64(8), 373-378.