About

Shariwa Oke is a researcher, artist, and designer passionate about promoting health and nutrition for all. She utilizes her visual and design skills to help make the world healthier and happier. Her work includes illustrations, digital artwork, and interactive media, with a focus on biology, physiology, and explaining complex processes within these areas. She has a background in research related to nutrition promotion, as evidenced by her publications, research interests, and theses. Additionally, she offers freelance services to collaborate on projects aimed at improving health and happiness through visuals and communication.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Psychology
• Applied psychology
• Medical education
• Political Science
• Multimedia
• Developmental psychology
• Pedagogy
• Mathematics education
• Physical therapy
• Psychiatry

Selected publications

• Examining the Relationship Between Health Literacy, Nutrition Literacy, and Food Literacy and Diet Behaviors in Adults: A Systematic Review

  Current Developments in Nutrition · 2025-05-01 · 2 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  considered fresh FVs to have fewer preservatives and better appearance, texture, nutrition, and flavor.Conclusions: SNAP-eligible populations participating in SNAP-Ed and EFNEP are a key consumer demographic for frozen foods and utilize them to save money and limit food waste.However, misconceptions persist, such as that fresh FVs are more nutritious than frozen.SNAP-Ed/EFNEP educators could incorporate additional education on adding frozen foods into a healthy diet to help families with low incomes use these costeffective foods to meet their nutrition and health goals.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Wireframe Testing to Inform an mHealth Intervention for Parents to Promote Healthy Eating and Activity in Preschoolers

  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · 2024

  • Psychology
  • Developmental psychology
  • Applied psychology
  PublisherDOI

• P24-091-23 Parent Preferences for a Digital Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Intervention

  Current Developments in Nutrition · 2023-07-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Design and Development of an mHealth Intervention for Parents to Promote Healthy Eating and Activity in Preschoolers

  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · 2023

  • Computer Science
  • Psychology
  • Medical education
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• P24-106-23 Examining Mobile Device Use, Appeal for a Digital Program, and Digital Literacy Among Parents of Preschoolers for Intervention Design

  Current Developments in Nutrition · 2023

  • Computer Science
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  PublisherDOI

• Creating An Interactive Aid to Mediate Obesity Diagnoses and Management Through Visualization

  Figshare · 2019-04-22

  dissertation1st authorCorresponding

  The purpose of this research is to discover if an app was the best method of delivering nutrition and exercise facts and obesity information to a patient with obesity. This study also emphasized usability testing and prototype creation.\nThe study consisted of three phases: the research phase (pre-phase), prototype phase (Phase 1), and app phase (Phase 2). During the research phase, group discussions were held with four experts, chosen for their experience with a patient population with obesity. Questions about the patient population and desired functionality of the proposed app were discussed.\nFeedback from the pre-phase informed decisions for Phase 1 of the study, where a paper prototype was developed for the app. Next, one-on-one interviews were held with the same group of experts. They were asked general questions about their patients and then given tasks to complete using the prototype. Comments about the intuitiveness and usability of the prototype were recorded.\nIn Phase 2, the app was developed in Unity2D, a gaming engine. Feedback from Phase 1 testing was implemented in design and functionality choices. Two patients total from the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center were recruited for the study. One received the app on their Android phone, to use for a week. The other received handouts with the same nutrition, exercise, and obesity information as the app included. All subjects were given a pre-test, including questions about their comfort levels with their health care provider, and knowledge surrounding exercise and nutrition, before they were given their treatment. A post- test was given one week after they had the opportunity to interact with their materials (app or handout). \nResults from the pre- and post- test were not statistically evaluated, and therefore no conclusions can be drawn. However, the qualitative data from prototyping and iterative design testing is invaluable to improve such apps in the future.

• Creating an Interactive Aid to Mediate Obesity Diagnosis and Management

  Journal of Biocommunication · 2019-11-27

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The purpose of this research was to design an application using iterative design and usability testing to convey nutrition, exercise, and obesity information to a patient with obesity. The study consisted of three phases: the research phase (Pre-phase), prototype phase (Phase 1), and application phase (Phase 2).In the pre-phase, group discussions were held with four experts, where they discussed the desired functionality of the proposed application. Their suggestions were incorporated into a paper prototype that was developed for iterative design testing in Phase 1. Experts first answered questions about their patients and then were given tasks to complete using the prototype.In Phase 2, the application was developed in the Unity 2D gaming engine. User feedback from Phase 1 testing was considered for Phase 2 design and functionality choices. Test subjects were given either the mobile application or a handout with the identical written content. All subjects were given a pre-test, including questions about comfort level with their health care provider and knowledge of exercise and nutrition, before they were given either the application or the handout. A post-test was given after subjects had interacted with their materials for one week.Qualitative data from prototyping and iterative design testing is a valuable tool for improving future health and wellness applications.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Advances in Health Technology Use and Implementation in the Era of Healthy Living: Implications for Precision Medicine

  Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases · 2018-12-28 · 26 citations

  review
  PublisherDOI

• Epidemic: An Abstraction of the Physiological and Psychological Causes and Effects of Obesity

  UA Campus Repository (The University of Arizona) · 2017-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  This piece is an abstraction of the complex topic of obesity. You will find that as you move left to right in this piece, you will journey from the physiological, then psychological aspects of obesity. First, we explore the physiological causes, starting with hormones and enzymes in the digestive tract. Then, we move to epigenetics and gene alterations, occurring as a result of excess fat intake, that can make individuals and their offspring more prone to obesity and disease. Then, we move into direct effects of excess fat in the body, such as heart and liver disease resulting from fat deposition. At the visual focal point is the brain, which is also the scientific focal point. Here, it serves as a shift from the physiological to the psychological world. Here, we first witness the psychological effects of obesity, and then go back to the causes, including mass media and fast-paced eating culture. Through this piece, I want to convey the complexity of the topic of obesity. I understand that I have in no way discussed all aspects of obesity, but exploring this topic as a culmination to my multifaceted academic career has been challenging and rewarding.

  Publisher

Frequent coauthors

• Samantha Bond

  5 shared

• Susan L. Johnson

  University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

  4 shared

• Laura L. Bellows

  Cornell University

  4 shared

• Ligia I. Reyes

  Cornell University

  3 shared

• Beatriz Carmona

  Cornell University

  3 shared

• Shane A. Phillips

  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  2 shared

• Ahmed Elokda

  Cairo University

  2 shared

• Renae Brown

  Cornell University

  2 shared