Yoonkyoung Cho

PhD candidate at the University of Michigan

yoonkcho@umich.edu

About
Hello! I am Ph.D. candidate in Epidemiologic Science at the University of Michigan, advised by Carrie Karvonen-Gutierrez. I am supported by a KFAS PhD Fellowship for up to 5 years of my PhD program. I obtained my B.A. in Public Health (Health Policy and Management) and M.S. in Public Health Sciences (Concentration: Epidemiology and Risk Management) from Korea University, where I was fortunate to be advised by Hannah Oh.
News
Mar 2026     Excited to share that I have received a Student Award from the BCBSM Foundation!
Jul 2024     I'm starting my PhD journey at the University of Michigan in Fall 2024!
Apr 2024     Honored to be awarded the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS) Fellowship, providing full support for my PhD research over the next five years.
Oct 2023     Delighted to share that I've been selected for a speaker of oral presentation session at the annual conference of the Korean Nutrition Society!
Feb 2023     I was selected as a graduate student awardee for ASAN Public Health Policy Fellowship.
Education

University of MichiganAug. 2024 - Present

Ph.D. in Epidemiologic Sciences | Advisor: Carrie Karvonen-Gutierrez

Korea UniversityMar. 2021 - Feb. 2024

M.S. in Epidemiology | Advisor: Hannah Oh

Korea UniversityMar. 2017 - Feb. 2021

B.A. in Public Health (Health Policy & Management)

Publications

2025

▶ Trajectories of areal bone mineral density significantly differ by patterning of femoral neck area and bone mineral content across the menopausal transition Journal of Bone and Mineral Research

Aleda M Leis, Karl J Jepsen, Erin Bigelow, Robert W Goulet, Gregory A Clines, Kerry Richards-McCullough, Yoonkyoung Cho, Tom R Richards, Carrie A Karvonen-Gutierrez

Paper
▶ Ultra-processed food intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a pooled analysis of three prospective cohorts of Korean adults and an updated meta-analysis European Journal of Epidemiology

Yujin Kim, Yoonkyoung Cho, Bonjae Koo, Zhangling Chen, Qi Sun, Hannah Oh

Paper
▶ Ultra-Processed Food Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:
A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies Diabetes & Metabolism Journal

Yujin Kim, Yoonkyoung Cho, Jin Eui Kim, Dong Hoon Lee, Hannah Oh

Paper

2024

▶ Recreational screen time and obesity risk in Korean children:
a 3-year prospective cohort study International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Hajin Jang*, Yoonkyoung Cho*, Hannah Oh (*co-first author)

Paper

2023

▶ Ultra-processed food intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in Korean adults The Journal of Nutrition

Yoonkyoung Cho*, Seaun Ryu*, Rockli Kim, Min-Jeong Shin, Hannah Oh (*co-first author)

Paper
▶ Aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and flexibility physical activity and risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a population-based prospective cohort of Korean adults BMC Public Health

Yoonkyoung Cho, Hajin Jang, Sohyeon Kwon, Hannah Oh

Paper

2022

▶ Early-life body fatness in relation to breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers:
a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies British Journal of Cancer

Dohyun Byun, SungEun Hong, Seaun Ryu, Yeonju Nam, Hajin Jang, Yoonkyoung Cho, NaNa Keum, Hannah Oh

Paper
( * indicates equal contribution )
Oral Presentations
▶ Ultra-processed food intake and type 2 diabetes: a pooled analysis of
3 population-based prospective cohorts Korean Nutrition Society

Yoonkyoung Cho, Hannah Oh (2023)

▶ Aerobic, Muscle-Strengthening, and Flexibility Physical Activity in Relation to All-Cause and Cancer Mortality: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study in Korea American Society for Nutrition

Yoonkyoung Cho, Hannah Oh (2022)

Paper
▶ Sarcopenic Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Mortality: the KoGES Mortality Follow-up Study Korean Society of Cardiometabolic Syndrome

Yoonkyoung Cho, Hannah Oh (2022)

Poster Presentations
▶ Television, Computer, Smartphone Use, and Obesity Risk: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study American Society for Nutrition

Yoonkyoung Cho, Hajin Jang, Hannah Oh (2023)

Paper
▶ Screen Time and Obesity in Adolescents: An Isotemporal Substitution Analysis American Society for Nutrition

Yoonkyoung Cho, Hajin Jang, Hannah Oh (2023)

Paper

Vitae

Full CV in PDF.

University of Michigan Aug. 2024 - Present
Ph.D. in Epidemiologic Science
National Cancer Center Korea Feb. 2023 - Jun. 2023
Researcher (Cancer Epidemiology Branch)
Center for ICT & Society Sep. 2022 - Aug. 2023
Researcher
Korea University Mar. 2021 - Feb. 2024
M.S. in Epidemiology
Chronic Disease Epidemiology Lab Mar. 2019 - Dec. 2020
Undergraduate Research Intern
Korea University Mar. 2017 - Feb. 2021
B.A. in Public Health
Yoonkyoung Cho