Behavioral study on acculturation and family factors affecting kids’ diet and weight in Latino communities
Official title: Behavioral Research on Acculturation and moderating and mediating Variables Observed Specifically among Latinos: BRAVOS
Funded at University of Nevada Las Vegas · NIH-11380538 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small study in Nevada will follow families with young children to see how parental behaviors and acculturation relate to kids’ fruit-and-vegetable intake and BMI over three years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Las Vegas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Las Vegas, United States) |
| Project start | August 14, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $189,375 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM154708-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380538 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are parents with a child aged 2-5 who are willing to participate in a three-year follow-up and provide dietary information and biomarker assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Families without access to consistent follow-up or those not in the target age range may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows 251 parent-child dyads (preschoolers aged 2-5) in Nevada to track how parental habits and cultural factors influence children’s nutrition and weight over time. It will test a noninvasive skin carotenoid biomarker to gauge fruit-and-vegetable intake in young children and see how well parents’ reports match dietary recalls. The study will also look at how parental behaviors and acculturation relate to the child’s BMI percentile across three years. Results could help tailor family- and culture-sensitive approaches to preventing early obesity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide culturally appropriate strategies to increase healthy eating and reduce obesity risk in young children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked parental behaviors to child diet, with promising but still evolving biomarker applications for dietary assessment.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Las Vegas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johansen, Christopher Martin — University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Study coordinator: Johansen, Christopher Martin
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.