A photo of Sanita Ley.

Sanita Ley, PhD

  • Pediatric Psychologist, Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology
  • Assistant Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
I was drawn to pediatric psychology because I wanted to help children and adolescents with acute and chronic medical conditions, along with their families, overcome emotional, behavioral and/or thinking barriers that were keeping them from living the life they want to live.

About

Biography

As a pediatric psychologist, I help children and adolescents with a wide variety of medical conditions by tailoring evidence-based treatments to fit their individual and family situations. Some of my areas of specialty include feeding, pediatric obesity and bariatrics. I also counsel patients who have weight-related medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes and non- alcoholic fatty liver disease.

I was drawn to pediatric psychology because I wanted to help children and adolescents with acute and chronic medical conditions, along with their families, overcome emotional, behavioral and/or thinking barriers that were keeping them from living the life they want to live.

In addition to helping patients, I also do research that focuses on improving outcomes for children and adolescents with obesity.

In my free time, I like to read, run, travel, and spend time with family and friends.

PhD: Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 2016.

Residency: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2016.

Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2018.

Interests

Adjustment and coping with medical illness; pediatric obesity; pediatric feeding concerns; anxiety; depression; adherence concerns

Services and Specialties

Behavioral Medicine

Interests

Pediatric obesity

Research Areas

Clinical Psychology

Insurance Information

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Publications

Mycophenolate mofetil use is associated with reduced incidence of food allergy in liver transplanted children. Ley, SL; Kidwell, KM; Van Dyk, TR; Orkin, S; Odar Stough, C; Howarth, T; Goetz, AR; Xanthakos, SA; Bramlage, K; Mouzaki, M; et al. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2022; 75:138-144.

Nutrition interventions for youth with dyslipidemia: a National Lipid Association clinical perspective. Williams, L; Baker-Smith, CM; Bolick, J; Carter, J; Kirkpatrick, C; Ley, SL; Peterson, AL; Shah, AS; Sikand, G; Ware, AL; et al. Journal of Clinical Lipidology. 2022.

Insight Into the Adolescent Patient Experience With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Ley, SL; Kidwell, KM; Van Dyk, TR; Orkin, S; Odar Stough, C; Howarth, T; Goetz, AR; Xanthakos, SA; Bramlage, K; Mouzaki, M; et al. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2022; 75:88-96.

Health-Related Social Needs Facing Youth with NonAlcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Orkin, S; Yodoshi, T; Sun, Q; Fei, L; Meryum, S; Ley, S; Arce-Clachar, AC; Bramlage, K; Xanthakos, S; Kahn, R; et al. 2022; 3.

Unhealthy Eating, Psychopathology, and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Youth Presenting for Bariatric Surgery. Ley, SL; Zeller, MH; Reiter-Purtill, J; Kleiner, DE; Dixon, J; Xanthakos, S. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2021; 73:670-676.

Weight change predicts college adjustment and depressive symptoms among first-year college students. Garr, K; Odar Stough, C; Godfrey, LM; Ley, SL. Journal of American College Health. 2021; 1-7.

Change, predictors and correlates of weight- and health-related quality of life in adolescents 2-years following bariatric surgery. Reiter-Purtill, J; Ley, S; Kidwell, KM; Mikhail, C; Austin, H; Chaves, E; Rofey, DL; Jenkins, TM; Inge, TH; Zeller, MH; et al. International Journal of Obesity. 2020; 44:1467-1478.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery. Zeller, MH; Reiter-Purtill, J; Jenkins, TM; Kidwell, KM; Bensman, HE; Mitchell, JE; Courcoulas, AP; Inge, TH; Ley, SL; Gordon, KH; et al. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. 2020; 16:568-580.

Community Socioeconomic Deprivation and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Severity. Orkin, S; Brokamp, C; Yodoshi, T; Trout, AT; Liu, C; Meryum, S; Taylor, S; Wolfe, C; Sheridan, R; Seth, A; et al. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2020; 70:364-370.

Halo or horn? A qualitative study of mothers' experiences with feeding children during the first year following bariatric surgery. Zeller, MH; Robson, SM; Reiter-Purtill, J; Kidwell, KM; Kharofa, RY; McCullough, MB; Crosby, LE; Howarth, T; Comstock, SE; Ley, SL; et al. Appetite. 2019; 142.

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