Department

Applied Health Science

Education

• Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. Human Nutrition

• Vanderbilt University, M.Ed. Science Education

Background

I investigate how and why people initiate behavioral change and factors which promote the maintenance of newly adopted behaviors, especially among adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Mechanisms for promoting behavioral change are examined to identify those most potent. These mechanisms of change are incorporated into behavioral lifestyle interventions for evaluation. The relationship among and intervention impact on psychosocial, dietary, physical activity, and clinical outcomes are determined to develop more effective interventions. Variation in intervention outcomes also is examined to better tailor lifestyle interventions for subgroups of interest. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are incorporated into intervention development and evaluation.

Selected Publications

Articles

Miller CK, Kristeller JL, Headings A, Nagaraja H, Miser WF. Comparative effectiveness of a mindful eating intervention to a diabetes self-management intervention among adults with type 2 diabetes: A pilot study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics 2012;112:1835-1842.

Miller CK, Bauman J. Goal setting: An integral component of effective diabetes care. Current Diabetes Reports 2014;14:509.

Miller CK, Weinhold KR, Marrero DG, Nagaraja HN, Focht BC. A translational worksite diabetes prevention trial improves psychosocial status, dietary intake and step counts among employees with prediabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Preventive Medicine Reports 2015;2:118-126.

Weinhold KR, Miller CK, Marrero DG, Nagaraja HN, Focht BC, Gascon G. A randomized controlled trial translating the Diabetes Prevention Program to a university worksite, Ohio, 2012-2014. Preventing Chronic Disease, 2015:12:150301. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd12.150301

Miller CK, Nagaraja HN, Weinhold KR. Early weight loss success identifies non-responders following a lifestyle intervention in a worksite diabetes prevention trial. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics 2015;115:1464-1471.

Miller CK, Weinhold KR, Nagaraja HN. Impact of a worksite diabetes prevention intervention on diet quality and social cognitive influences of health behavior: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior 2016;48:160-169.

Miller CK, Weinhold KR, Mitchell DC. Using ecological momentary assessment to track goal progress toward the adoption of a low glycemic index diet among adults with type 2 diabetes: a pilot study. Topics in Clinical Nutrition 2016;31:323-334.

Swoboda CM, Miller CK, Wills CE. Setting single or multiple goals for diet and physical activity behaviors improves cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes: a pragmatic pilot randomized trial. Diabetes Educator 2016;42:429-443.

Swoboda CM, Miller CK, Wills CE. Impact of a goal setting and decision support telephone coaching intervention on diet, psychosocial, and decision outcomes among people with type 2 diabetes. Patient Education & Counseling 2017;100:1367-1373.

Miller CK, Pawelczyk K, Cheavens J, Fujita K, Moss S. Development and pilot testing of a novel behavioral intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine 2017;5:317-336.

Swoboda CM, Miller CK, Wills CE. Frequency of diet and physical activity goal attainment and barriers encountered among adults with type 2 diabetes during a telephone coaching intervention. Clinical Diabetes 2017;35:286-293.

Miller CK. Adaptive intervention designs to promote behavioral change in adults: What is the evidence? Current Diabetes Reports, 2019;19:7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-019-1127-4.

Hu J, Mion L, Tan A, Du Y, Chang MW, Miller C, Joseph J. Perceptions of African American adults with type 2 diabetes on family support: type, quality and recommendations. The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care 2021;47:302-311.

Miller CK, Nagaraja HN, Cheavens J, Fujita K, Lazarus S. Impact of a novel diabetes prevention intervention for early slow weight loss responders among adults with prediabetes: an adaptive trial. Diabetes Care  2022;45:2452-2455.