Adaptive approach to spread obesity-prevention practices in early education
Official title: Testing an Adaptive Implementation Strategy to Optimize Delivery of Obesity Prevention Practices in Early Care and Education Settings
Funded at Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis · NIH-11293133 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program to help preschool meals and snacks improve kids' diets in early care settings using practical, supported steps for teachers and staff.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $618,924 |
| NIH project number | 4R37CA252113-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11293133 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are children aged 0-11 in early care and education settings, and the educators and administrators implementing WISE.
✕Less likely to help
Settings not using or able to implement the WISE practices may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant tests how best to implement and sustain a proven eating-healthy program called WISE in early education centers. It focuses on adaptive support to help teachers adopt four key practices that introduce fruits and vegetables, model healthy eating, encourage self-regulation, and connect with a familiar mascot. The study will look at adoption in the first 8 months and whether a lighter, long-term maintenance plan with local extension services keeps the program going from 24 to 60 months. Researchers will measure how faithfully the program is delivered and how it affects children’s diets, as well as the costs involved. The work engages community partners across Arkansas and Louisiana to scale effective strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help more preschools implement healthier eating practices, improving long-term child health.
How similar studies have gone: Previous WISE-related efforts have shown promise in improving fruit and vegetable exposure and acceptance in young children.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis
Little Rock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Massey-Swindle, Taren — Univ of Arkansas for Med Scis
- Study coordinator: Massey-Swindle, Taren
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.