Healthy school partnership to prevent obesity in American Indian and Alaska Native 4th graders

Full Project 2: A School-Based Partnership with Rural Tribal Schools for the Primary Prevention of Obesity among American Indian Youth (P2)

NIH-funded research Northern Arizona University · NIH-11195082

A program that helps rural American Indian and Alaska Native elementary schools improve meals, activity, and wellness to prevent obesity in 4th graders.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNorthern Arizona University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Flagstaff, United States)
Project IDNIH-11195082 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You and your child's school would partner with project staff to strengthen school wellness policies, improve the food served, expand daily physical activity, and provide culturally tailored health lessons. The team works with rural tribal schools, especially those serving 4th graders, to adapt activities to local traditions and train teachers and cafeteria staff. They will collect measurements like height, weight, and activity patterns over time and track school-level changes. The project aims to protect students from gaining excess weight and the health problems that can follow.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are 4th-grade students enrolled in partner rural American Indian and Alaska Native schools participating in the program.

Not a fit: Children who do not attend the participating tribal schools, are outside the targeted grade range, or whose schools do not implement the program are unlikely to benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help lower childhood obesity and reduce future risks of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and related cancers in AIAN communities.

How similar studies have performed: School-based wellness policies and nutrition/physical-activity programs have shown mixed but promising benefits in general populations, while culturally tailored interventions in AIAN communities are fewer and less well-studied.

Where this research is happening

Flagstaff, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.