Healthy school partnership to prevent obesity in American Indian and Alaska Native 4th graders
Official title: Full Project 2: A School-Based Partnership with Rural Tribal Schools for the Primary Prevention of Obesity among American Indian Youth (P2)
Funded at Northern Arizona University · NIH-11195082 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northern Arizona University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Flagstaff, United States) |
| Project start | September 29, 2009 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $157,183 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA143925-17 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195082 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are 4th-grade students enrolled in partner rural American Indian and Alaska Native schools participating in the program.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eddie, Regina — Northern Arizona University
- Study coordinator: Eddie, Regina
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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.