Bethany Barone Gibbs, PhD

Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs joined the department in 2022 and is trained in cardiovascular and physical activity epidemiology and studies the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disease through healthy lifestyle behaviors in special populations.

Chair

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Public Health

Department:

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Classification:

Faculty

Senior Advisor

Organization:

West Virginia University Health Sciences Center

Department:

Research & Graduate Education

Classification:

Faculty

• PhD, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 2010
• MSc, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 2003
• BS, College of William and Mary, 2001

1. Barone Gibbs B, Chmelik K, Marhsall E, Henggeler W, Olfert IM, Rowan S, Lilly C, Hodder SL, Umer A. Building the Mountain Mama and Baby Cohort: Study Design, Protocol, and Early Prenatal Clinic-based Recruitment Outcomes. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2026; https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwag030

2. Alansare A, Muldoon MF, Perera S, Huber KA, Conroy MB, Jakicic JM, and Barone Gibbs B. Effects of Reducing Sedentary Behavior on Heart Rate Variability and Cardio-metabolic Biomarkers in Desk Workers with Untreated High Blood Pressure. Experimental Physiology. In press.

3. Thrower A, Modlin S, Whitaker KM, Gibbs BB. Yoga as a form of leisure-time physical activity and pregnancy health outcomes. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2026 Jan 27.

4. Barone Gibbs B, Modlin S, Perera S, Thrower AN, Huber KA, Kozai AC, Chiu J, Haas DM, Greenland P, Grobman WA, Theilen L, Cameron NA, Bairey Merz CN, Whitaker KM. Factors Associated With Leisure Time Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Young Women 2-7 Years After Delivery of a Pregnancy in the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2026;0(0). doi:10.1177/08901171251413224

5. Marshall EM, Modlin S, Cather C, Coppes EM, Chmelik K, Thrower AN, Wilhite K, Umer A, Whaitaker KM, Lill C, Barone Gibbs B. Associations of breastfeeding with American Heart Association defined maternal cardiovascular health behaviors: A scoping review. Breastfeeding Medicine. November 24, 2025.

6. Wilhite KL, Thrower AN, Modlin SE, Zheng M, Williamson C, Marshall E, Desouky V, Abildso CG, Perry CK, Meyer MRU, Barone Gibbs B. Scoping review comparing individual and multi-level physical activity interventions in rural women in the United States. BMC Public Health. December 3, 2025.

7. Holmes AJ, Wilhite KW, Kline CE, Daivs KK, Gordon BDH, Stoner L, Quinn TD, Barone Gibbs B. Barriers and Facilitators of Achieving Healthy 24-hour Movement Behaviors in Work-from-Home Desk Workers: Findings from the Work from Home 24 (WFH24) Mixed Methods Study. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2025 Sep 30. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003561.

8. Kim JM, Gibbs BB, Whitaker KM. Compliance and Impact of a 5-minute Seated Rest Protocol on Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Postpartum Women. American Journal of Hypertension. 2025

9. Gibbs BB, Modlin S, Merz NB, Haas DM, Khan SS, Lane A, McNeil RB, Varagic J, Huber K, Vasquez-Huot L, Catov JM. Leisure Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cardiovascular Health 2-7 Years after Pregnancy in the nuMoM2b HHS Cohort. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025 Feb 3;. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003660.

10. Barone Gibbs B, Perera S, Huber KA, Paley JL, Conroy MB, Jakicic JM, Muldoon MF. Effects of Sedentary Behavior Reduction on Blood Pressure in Desk Workers: Results from the RESET BP Randomized Clinical Trial. Circulation. 2024 Aug 2.110.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.068564.

For a full list of publications, please follow this link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/bethany.gibbs.1/bibliography/public/

1. Delta Omega Faculty Inductee – West Virginia School of Public Health Chapter (2024)
2. Affiliate Investigator, Magee Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh (2021)
3. Provost’s Women in Academic Leadership (WIN-AL) Program, University of Pittsburgh (2019)
4. Medical Student Research Mentoring Merit Award, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2019)
5. Fellow of the American Heart Association (2016)

 

Courses taught (WVU)

• EPID 625: Principles of Clinical Trials (graduate)
• PUBH 796: Graduate Seminar (graduate)

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.

https://publichealth.wvu.edu/research-services/labs/physical-activity-and-sedentary-behavior-research-lab/

Grants and Research:

Effect of Reducing Sedentary Behavior on Blood Pressure

NHLBI R01 HL134809; Role: Principal Investigator; 8/15/2017-6/30/2023 (NCE); $2,400,961

 

Sedentary behavior, physical activity, sleep, and cardiovascular risk in pregnancy: the Pregnancy 24/7 cohort study

NHLBI R01 HL153095; Role: Co-Investigator (site Principal Investigator); 9/15/2020-8/31/2025; $3,432,188

 

Sedentary behavior and cardiovascular health in young women

NHLBI R01 HL158652; Role: Principal Investigator;5/20/2022 – 4/30/2027; $3,970,359

 

Reducing sedentary behavior in pregnancy: a randomized pilot and feasibility trial

American Heart Association 20TPA354909; Role: Principal Investigator; 1/1/2021-12/31/2023; $300,000

 

Sedentary behavior, physical activity, and 24-hour behavior in pregnancy and offspring health: the Pregnancy 24/7 Offspring Study

NHLBI R01HL164662; Role: Co-Principal Investigator; 4/17/2023 – 2/29/2028; $3,261,303