Wesley J. Tucker, Ph.D., RDN

Contact

wtucker1@twu.edu
713-794-2379
Houston 7018

Biography

Wesley J Tucker, PhD, RDN is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Texas Woman's University Institute of Health Sciences in Houston, Texas. He has a strong research background in the areas of Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, and Applied Cardiovascular Physiology. Prior to starting as faculty at TWU, Dr. Tucker received an American Heart Association Postdoctoral Training Grant to investigate the peripheral mechanisms responsible for exercise intolerance in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. At TWU, Dr. Tucker's research program will continue this line of research with a specific focus on the biological mechanisms responsible for the reductions in cardiorespiratory fitness in individuals at risk for or with heart failure. In addition, He will investigate the efficacy of novel diet and exercise interventions to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and other important clinical endpoints in individuals at risk for or with heart failure. Dr. Tucker also has research interests in overfeeding, insulin resistance, physical inactivity, and functional foods.

Education

Ph.D., Physical Activity, Nutrition and Wellness, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ
M.S., Nutrition, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ
B.S., Nutrition Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

Research Interests

Heart Failure Pathophysiology; Obesity; Dietary Interventions; Functional Foods; Exercise Training; Exercise Testing; Cardiorespiratory Fitness; Vascular Biology; Skeletal Muscle Function; Cardiac Function

Latest Articles

Treadmill Walking Economy Is Not Affected by Body Fat and Body Mass Index in Adults
Physiological Reports (2024)
Wesley J. Tucker, Brandon J. Sawyer, Dharini M. Bhammar, Emma W. Ware, Siddhartha S. Angadi

Dietary Intake and Quality among Stroke Survivors: NHANES 1999-2018.
Journal of Nutrition (2023)
Erika R Zoellner, Mindy A Patterson, Anjail Z Sharrief, Sean I Savitz, Wesley J. Tucker

Usual Dietary Fibre Intake According to Diabetes Status in USA Adults - NHANES 2013-2018
British Journal of Nutrition (2023)
Derek C. Miketinas, Wesley J. Tucker, Crystal C. Douglas, Mindy A. Patterson

Resistant starch improves cardiometabolic disease outcomes: A narrative review of randomized trials
Nutrition Research (2023)
Madhura Maiya, Andrew Adorno, Sahar B. Toulabi, Wesley J. Tucker, Mindy A. Patterson

Serum cholesterol differences between statin users who take dietary supplements & those who do not: NHANES 2013-2018.
Current Developments in Nutrition (2023)
Trisha S. MacDonald, Kathleen E. Davis, Wesley J. Tucker, Derek C. Miketinas

Exercise Leg Blood Flow Is Preserved in Long-term Breast Cancer Survivors Previously Treated With Anthracycline Chemotherapy
Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention (2023)
Rhys I. Beaudry, John D. Akins, Rauchelle E. Richey, R. Matthew Brothers, Michael D. Nelson

Cardiac mechanisms for low aerobic power in anthracycline treated, older, long-term breast cancer survivors
Cardio-Oncology (2022)
Rhys I Beaudry, Mark J Haykowsky, James P MacNamara, Wesley J. Tucker, Roshni Rao

Postexercise hypotension is delayed in men with obesity and hypertension
Frontiers in Physiology (2022)
Catherine L Jarrett, Wesley J Tucker, Siddhartha S. Angadi, Glenn A Gaesser

College Campus Food Pantry Program Evaluation: What Barriers Do Students Face to Access On-Campus Food Pantries?
Nutrients (2022)
Francilia de K. Brito-Silva, Wanyi Wang, Carolyn E Moore, Cynthia Warren, Derek C Miketinas

Exercise for Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2022)
Wesley J. Tucker, Isabel Fegers-Wustrow, Martin Halle, Mark J. Haykowsky, Eugene H. Chung

Editorial - Defining the Specific Skeletal Muscle Adaptations Responsible for Exercise Training Improvements in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Circulation: Heart Failure (2022)
Wesley J. Tucker, Dalane W. Kitzman

Cognition and brain oxygen metabolism improves after bariatric surgery-induced weight loss: A pilot study
Frontiers in Endocrinology (2022)
Nareen Anwar, Wesley J. Tucker, Nancy Puzziferri, T Jake Samuel, Vlad G. Zaha

Effect of Training on Peak Oxygen Consumption in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction - Letter to the Editor
JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association (2021)
Peter H Brubaker, Steven J Keteyian, Wesley J. Tucker

Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions on College Students' Dietary Quality and Experience of the Food Environment.
Nutrients (2021)
Francilia Britos Silva, Dawn E Osborn, Meghan R Owens, Tracie Kirkland, Carolyn E Moore

Effects of indulgent food snacking, with and without exercise training, on body weight, fat mass, and cardiometabolic risk markers in overweight and obese men.
Physiological Reports (2021)
Wesley J. Tucker, Catherine L. Jarrett, Andrew C. D'Lugos, Siddhartha S. Angadi, Glenn A. Gaesser

Pathophysiology of exercise intolerance and its treatment with exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention (2020)
Wesley J. Tucker, Siddhartha S Angadi, Mark J Haykowsky, Michael D Nelson, Satyam Sarma

Prevalence and Social Determinants of Food Insecurity among College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nutrients (2020)
Meghan R Owens, Francilia Brito-Silva, Tracie Kirkland, Carolyn E Moore, Kathleen E Davis

Impact of bariatric surgery on cerebral vascular reactivity and cognitive function: A non-randomized pilot study.
Pilot and Feasibility Studies (2020)
Wesley J. Tucker, Binu P. Thomas, Nancy Puzziferri, T. Jake Samuel, Vlad G. Zaha

Clinical Considerations and Exercise Responses of Patients with Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction: What Have We Learned in 20 Years?
Journal of Clinical Exercise Physiology (2020)
Peter H Brubaker, Wesley J. Tucker, Mark J Haykowsky

Exercise Training Effects on the Relationship of Physical Function and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Older Heart Failure Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention (2020)
Peter H Brubaker, Teagan Avis, W. Jack Rejeski, Shannon E Mihalko, Wesley J. Tucker

Near-infrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy tracks changes in oxygen delivery and utilization during exercise with and without isolated arterial compression
American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology (2020)
Wesley J. Tucker, Ryan Rosenberry, Darian Trojacek, Belinda Sanchez, Robert F. Bentley

Lamina Cribrosa Pore Diameter and Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome-Reply to Letter To The Editor
JAMA Ophthalmology (2019)
Jessica M Scott, Wesley J. Tucker, Mark J Haykowsky

Determinants of skeletal muscle oxygen consumption assessed by near-infrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy during incremental handgrip exercise.
Journal of Applied Physiology (2019)
Ryan Rosenberry, Wesley J. Tucker, Mark J Haykowsky, Darian Trojacek, Houda H Chamseddine

Chapters

Exercise in specific diseases: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
in Textbook of Sports & Exercise Cardiology | Springer (2020)
Verena Heinicke, Wesley J. Tucker, Mark J Haykowsky, Martin Halle

Externally Funded Projects

Validation of Dietary Assessment Tools in Stroke Patients Year 3 of 3
TWU Woodcock Institute | $15,000.00 | 2021
Role: Principal Investigator

Internally Funded Projects

Impact of Menstrual Cycle on Metabolism and Exercise Performance in Physically Active Women
TWU Small Grants Program | $975.00 | 2023
Research Grant

Novel Lifestyle Intervention to Improve Exercise Tolerance, Physical Function, and Quality of Life in Obese Patients with Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Pilot Study
TWU Research Enhancement Program | $10,000.00 | 2020
Research Grant

Professional Affiliations

• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
• American Heart Association (AHA)
• American Physiological Society (APS)
• American Society for Nutrition
• Texas Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
• The Obesity Society