Faculty

Mandy Fretts

Associate Professor, Epidemiology

206-543-9236

Education

PhD Epidemiology, University of Washington, 2011
MPH Epidemiology, University of Washington, 2007

Contact

206-543-9236

University of Washington
Box 351619
Department of Epidemiology
Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, 873
Seattle, WA 98195

Bio

Dr. Fretts is a cardiovascular and nutritional epidemiologist with a focus on observational and interventional research aimed at improving cardio-metabolic health in underserved and rural communities (with a focus on American Indian communities). Her work aims to work with community partners to integrate observational and interventional research to mitigate obesity-related health disparities and improve health behaviors and health outcomes. Dr. Fretts’ research primarily focuses on nutrition, food insecurity, the food environment, physical activity, obesity, fatty acids, and diabetes. She is the Principal Investigator of the Dakotas field site for the Strong Heart Study, a large cohort study of heart disease and its risk factors in 12 American Indian communities in Arizona, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota, that has been on-going since 1988. She is also Principal Investigator of a community-based diet and cooking skills intervention (randomized trial) designed to improve blood sugar control and other cardiovascular risk factors for American Indians with type 2 diabetes. In addition to her work with American Indian communities, she is involved in several on-going projects related to fatty acids, diet, diet*gene interactions, diabetes, and cardiovascular outcomes in the Cardiovascular Health Study and the Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE) consortium.

Research Interests

  • American Indian health
  • Diabetes
  • Interventions
  • Nutrition
  • Physical activity
  • Lifestyle
  • Social epidemiology
  • Health disparities
  • Obesity
  • Fatty acids
  • Cardio-metabolic disease prevention

Recent Publications (PubMed)

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association analyses incorporating SNP-by-psychosocial interactions identify novel loci for serum lipids.
(2025 Jun 20)
Transl Psychiatry 15(1): 207
Bentley AR, Brown MR, Musani SK, Schwander KL, Winkler TW, Sims M, Kilpeläinen TO, Aschard H, Bartz TM, Bielak LF, Chai JF, Chitrala KN, Franceschini N, Graff M, Guo X, Hartwig FP, Horimoto ARVR, Lim E, Liu Y, Manning AK, Nolte IM, Noordam R, Richard MA, Smith AV, Sung YJ, Vojinovic D, Wang R, Wang Y, Feitosa MF, Harris SE, Lyytikäinen LP, Pistis G, Rauramaa R, van der Most PJ, Ware E, Weiss S, Wen W, Yanek LR, Arking DE, Arnett DK, Ballantyne C, Boerwinkle E, Chen YI, Daviglus ML, de Las Fuentes L, de Vries PS, Delaney JAC, Fretts AM, Ekunwe L, Faul JD, Gallo LC, Heikkinen S, Homuth G, Ikram MA, Isasi CR, Jonas JB, Keltikangas-Järvinen L, Komulainen P, Kraja AT, Krieger JE, Launer L, Lifelines Cohort Study, Liu J, Lohman K, Luik AI, Manichaikul AW, Marques-Vidal P, Milaneschi Y, Mwasongwe SE, O'Connell JR, Rice K, Rich SS, Schreiner PJ, Schwettmann L, Shikany JM, Shu XO, Smith JA, Snieder H, Sotoodehnia N, Tai ES, Taylor KD, Tinker L, Tsai MY, Uitterlinden AG, van Duijn CM, van Heemst D, Waldenberger M, Wallace RB, Wee HL, Weir DR, Wei WB, Willems van Dijk K, Wilson G, Yao J, Young KL, Zhang X, Zhao W, Zhu X, Zonderman AB, Deary IJ, Gieger C, Grabe HJ, Lakka TA, Lehtimäki T, Oldehinkel AJ, Preisig M, Wang YX, Zheng W, Evans MK, Province M, Gauderman J, Gudnason V, Hartman CA, Horta BL, Kardia SLR, Kooperberg C, Liu CT, Mook-Kanamori DO, Penninx BW, Pereira AC, Peyser PA, Psaty BM, Rotter JI, Sim X, North KE, Rao DC, Bierut L, Miller CL, Morrison AC, Rotimi CN, Fornage M, Fox ER

Associations Between Urinary Metal Levels and Incident Heart Failure: A Multi-Cohort Analysis.
(2025 Jun 17)
JACC Heart Fail 13(8): 102510
Martinez-Morata I, Domingo-Relloso A, Mayer M, Schilling K, Glabonjat RA, McGraw K, Sanchez TR, Kaufman JD, Vaidya D, Post W, Jones M, Shimbo D, Zhang Y, Fretts AM, Pichler G, Umans JG, Garcia Pinilla JM, Cole SA, Martin-Escudero JC, Redon J, Grau-Perez M, Barr RG, Valeri L, Shea S, Tellez-Plaza M, Devereux RB, Navas-Acien A

The Association of Blood Lead with Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Mortality: Findings from the Strong Heart Study Cohort.
(2025 Jun 5)
Environ Health Perspect
Lieberman-Cribbin W, Nigra AE, Kupsco A, Domingo-Relloso A, Schilling K, Zhang Y, Fretts AM, Cole S, Umans JG, Jarrett JM, Lewin M, Ruiz P, Li Z, Navas-Acien A

Ultra-processed foods, plant and animal sources, and all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in older adults in the United States: results from the Cardiovascular Health Study.
(2025 Jun 2)
Am J Clin Nutr
Feinberg A, Rebholz CM, Lemaitre RN, Fretts AM, Wiggins K, Sotoodehnia N, Psaty BM, Kim H

Uranium Exposure, Hypertension, and Blood Pressure in the Strong Heart Family Study.
(2025 Apr 24)
Prev Chronic Dis 22(): E16
Patterson KP, Gold AO, Spratlen MJ, Umans JG, Fretts AM, Goessler W, Zhang Y, Navas-Acien A, Nigra AE

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