Toben Nelson, ScD
Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health

Contact Info
ScD, Public Health, Harvard University
MS, Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
BA, Psychology & Physical Education, Hamline University
Summary
I study prevention of alcohol attributable harm, injury and violence prevention, motor vehicle safety, physical activity promotion, obesity prevention, the influence of sports participation on health and social determinants of health.
Expertise
Food & nutrition, injuries, methods, alcohol, physical activity, substance use, social epidemiology, policy, sport, prevention, motor vehicle safety
Awards & Recognition
Research
Research Summary/Interests
I am involved in the following studies:
Research Funding Grants
- 2018-2023, "The Effects of Changes in Local Alcohol Policies and Enforcement on Alcohol Use and Impaired Driving," Principal Investigator
- 2017-2019, "Assessing How Local-Level Law Enforcement Strategies, Both Specific and in the Aggregate, Influence Binge Drinking and Alcohol-Impaired Driving in Communities Across the U.S.," Co-Investigator
- 2016-2020, "Interdisciplinary Research Leaders - National Program Leadership Center," Co-Investigator
- 2016–2018, University of Minnesota Grand Challenge Research Grant, "Toward a Minnesota Model for Brain Health in Youth Sports," Principal Investigator
- 2017-2021, "The influence of health and neighborhood context on economic mobility: Evidence from a social experiment," Co-Investigator
- 2016–2017, Blue Zones, "Community Prevention of Alcohol-related Harms: A Blue Zones Demonstration," Principal Investigator
- 2015–2017, NIH, "Development of an Alcohol Risk Management Program for College Fraternities," Principal Investigator
- 2016–2018, NIH, "Mediators and Moderators of a Neighborhood Experiment on Alcohol Abuse," Co-Investigator
Publications
See a full list of publications on PubMed
Select Publications
- Nanney MS, MacLehose RF, Kubik MY, Davey CS, O'Connell MJ, Grannon KY, Nelson TF. "School Obesity Prevention Policies and Practices in Minnesota and Student Outcomes: A Longitudinal Cohort Study," American Journal of Preventative Medicine, Nov 2016
- Lenk KM, Nelson TF, Toomey TL, Jones-Webb R, Erickson DJ. "Sobriety checkpoint and open container laws in the United States: Associations with reported drinking-driving," Traffic Injury Prevention, Nov 2016
- Pelletier JE, Laska MN, MacLehose R, Nelson TF, Nanney MS. "State-Level Trends and Correlates for Cross-Sector Collaboration on School Nutrition and Physical Education Activities, 2000-2012," Preventing Chronic Disease, July 2016
- Rutledge PC, Bestrashniy JR, Nelson TF. "Problematic Drinking Among Postgraduate Students: Binge Drinking, Prepartying, and Mixing Alcohol With Energy Drinks," Substance Use & Misuse, April 2016
Teaching
Courses
- PubH 6020 Fundamentals of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- PubH 6078 Public Health Policy as a Prevention Strategy
(with T. Toomey) - PubH 6333 Human Behavior I
Media
Video
U of MN Health Sciences Expert Link
In The News
SPH News
In the Media
- A Huge Clinical Trial Collapses, and Research on Alcohol Remains Befuddling (The Washington Post)
- A Huge Clinical Trial Collapses, and Research on Alcohol Remains Befuddling (The Denver Post)
- Research on Alcohol Remains Befuddling (Santa Fe New Mexican)
- As beer flows at college sporting events, so does criticism (Tampa Bay Times)
- How the night before Thanksgiving became the 'biggest drinking day of the year' (Star Tribune)
- Toxic drinking culture lead to the Penn State fraternity death (Newsweek, opinion)
- Study finds alcohol programs have little impact on greek communities. (MN Daily)
- Does selling beer at college games decrease binge drinking? (The Philadelphia Inquirer)