Halide Zeynep Aydin, PhD

Halide Zeynep Aydin, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies within the College of Public Health at George Mason University. Her research interests are related to women’s health and nutrition, with particular attention to how dietary patterns, metabolic health, and health information environments shape health outcomes across the life course.

Her doctoral research examined how women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) make sense of nutrition and lifestyle content on social media, highlighting processes of sense-making, community validation, and critical appraisal of health information. This work contributes to broader conversations on digital health communication, misinformation, and women’s nutrition-related self-management. Dr. Aydin aims to continue working with women with PCOS to support empowerment and informed decision-making in the management of their condition.

Degrees:

PhD, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina, 2025
MSc, Clinical and Health Psychology, Bangor University, 2020
BSc, Psychology, University of Worcester, 2019

Research Interests

Women’s Health, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Nutrition, Metabolic Health, Hormone Health

Select Publications

Aydın, H. Z., Okpara, N., Dubois, K. E., Jones, M. M., Carswell, J., Wilcox, S., & Turner-McGrievy, G. (2025). Perceptions of the three dietary patterns of the 2020–2025 United States Dietary Guidelines among African American adults after a 12-week randomized intervention trial to reduce type 2 diabetes risk: A qualitative study. Nutrients, 17(21), 3453. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17213453

Aydın, H. Z., Aydın, K., Karaboğa, H. A., & Yıldız, N. G. (2025). Factors associated with basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL/IADL) among older adults: Türkiye Health Survey. Yaşlı Sorunları Araştırma Dergisi, 18(2), 49–60. https://doi.org/10.46414/yasad.1748588

Turner-McGrievy, G., Monroe, C., Delgado-Diaz, C., Aydin, H. Z., DuBois, K., Kim, Y., & Wilcox, S. (2026). Incentivizing social support in the randomized Mobile Lifestyle Intervention for Food and Exercise study: The impact of gamification on social support perceptions, provision, and receipt. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 16(1), ibaf086. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaf086

Turner-McGrievy, B., Delgado-Diaz, C., DuBois, K., Aydin, H. Z., Kim, Y., Hardin, J., & Wilcox, S. (2025). Differences in diet quality and energy intake between a gamified and non-gamified weight loss intervention: The 12-month Mobile Lifestyle Intervention for Food and Exercise study. Current Developments in Nutrition, 9,

Turner-McGrievy, G. M., Wirth, M. D., Bernhart, J. A., & Aydin, H. Z. (2022). The Fasting and Shifted Timing (FAST) of Eating Study: A pilot feasibility randomized crossover intervention assessing the acceptability of three fasting diet approaches. Appetite, 176, 106135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.106135

Turner-McGrievy, G. M., Wilson, M. J., Carswell, J., Okpara, N., Aydin, H. Z., Bailey, S., Davey, M., Hutto, B., Wilcox, S., Friedman, D. B., & Sarzynski, M. A. (2023). A 12-week randomized intervention comparing the Healthy U.S., Mediterranean, and vegetarian dietary patterns of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for changes in body weight, hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, and dietary quality among African American adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 153(2), 579–587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.12.016

Yıldız, N. G., Aydın, H. Z., & Aydın, K. (2023). Nationwide study of basic and instrumental activities of daily living in individuals aged 65+ living at home. International Journal of Disabilities Sports and Health Sciences, 6(Special Issue 1), 330–340.

Yıldız, N. G., Aydin, H. Z., Aydin, K., Yıldız, H., Sambo, G., Mwamulima, B., Zonda, J. M., Phiri, D., & Phiri, Y. V. (2024). Understanding adverse childhood experiences and the call for a trauma-informed healthcare system in Turkey: A review. Health Research Policy and Systems, 22(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-024-01121-9

Yıldız, N. G., Aydın, H. Z., Sambo, G., Aydın, K., Yıldız, H., Santri, I. N., Wardani, Y., Mwamulima, B., Isni, K., & Phiri, Y. V. (2024). The mediating role of depressive symptoms in the relationship between gender and low back pain in the Turkish population: Evidence from a national health survey. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 1136. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18738-0

Yıldız, N. G., Aydın, K., Aydın, H. Z., Phiri, Y. V., & Yıldız, H. (2023). Factors related to the prevalence of depression in Türkiye: A population-based study. Turkish Journal of Psychiatry, 35(3), 167–176.

Honors and Awards

Honorable Mention, Graduate Women in Science, 2024
Butterfoss Fellowship for Community Endowed Research, 2024
Olga I. Ogoussan Doctoral Research Award, 2025

Professional Affliations/Memberships

Member, American Public Health Association
Member, Society of Behavioral Medicine