Designing neighborhood-friendly ways for low-income teens to walk, bike, and play more
Co-creating and implementing contextually responsive physical activity interventions with low-income adolescents
This project works with schools, families, and neighbors to create and put into place safer, easier ways for middle-school teens in low-income communities to be more active.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251242 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a member of the school community, you would help shape changes to make walking, biking, and active play safer and easier near your school and neighborhood. Researchers will work directly with students, parents, school staff, and local residents to co-design and roll out practical changes like safer routes, improved play spaces, and programs that fit local needs. The team will try these changes in participating middle schools and track how activity and travel habits change over time. The goal is to build solutions that communities can keep using after the project ends.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Best suited for middle-school-aged teens who live in or attend schools in low-income neighborhoods and their families or neighborhood residents who want to help design local activity supports.
Not a fit: People who live outside the participating schools' neighborhoods, are older adults, or have mobility limitations that prevent walking or biking may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help teens be more physically active, create safer routes and play spaces, and lower long-term risk for conditions like type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Many school-based programs have increased activity in elementary schools, but community-driven active-transport work focused on middle-school students is less common and more novel.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hoelscher, Deanna Marie — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Hoelscher, Deanna Marie
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 below.