Empowering nutrition through stories for adults with IDD and their caregivers
Official title: Empowering Nutrition Through Graphic-Style Stories: Co-Designing an Acceptable and Feasible Community-Based Program with Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Their Caregivers
Funded at University of Cincinnati · NIH-11453920 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-based nutrition program designed with adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their caregivers to help them eat healthier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Cincinnati NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $202,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MD020828-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11453920 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with IDD (mild IDD as targeted) and their caregivers who participate at ADSCs or similar community settings.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without IDD or who do not engage with the community sites may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will co-design a nutrition education program called EMPOWER for adults with IDD and their caregivers, using graphic-style stories and hands-on activities. It will involve iterative input from participants and community partners to ensure the program is engaging, understandable, and feasible in real-world community settings. The team will test whether the program is acceptable and practical at local adult IDD-serving sites before broader rollout.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help adults with IDD and their caregivers adopt healthier eating patterns and reduce obesity-related risks.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows narratives can promote healthy behaviors in communities with lower health literacy, supporting potential success here.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Seung-Yeon — University of Cincinnati
- Study coordinator: Lee, Seung-Yeon
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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.