Helping Latino families tackle childhood obesity and chronic disease risk
Official title: Caregivers as the Agent of Change for Childhood Obesity and Chronic Disease Risk Among Latino Families
Funded at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · NIH-10890004 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new program that helps Latino parents learn how to make healthier choices for their overweight children, using online support to make it easier for families to join in and see if it works better than regular health education.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $744,432 |
| NIH project number | 5P50MD017344-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10890004 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Latino families with children aged 0-21 who are at risk for obesity and related chronic diseases.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not identify as Latino or those whose children are not at risk for obesity may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on addressing the high rates of overweight and obesity among Latino children, which are linked to serious health issues like type 2 diabetes. The project aims to implement a parent-based treatment program that provides support and education to parents, helping them to make healthier choices for their children. By utilizing telehealth, the program seeks to be more accessible and culturally relevant for Latino families. A randomized clinical trial will compare this approach to a standard health education program to evaluate its effectiveness in improving health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to significant improvements in the health and well-being of Latino children by reducing obesity and chronic disease risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results with parent-based interventions for childhood obesity, indicating that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boutelle, Kerri N — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Boutelle, Kerri N
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Helping Latino Families Reduce Childhood Obesity and Chronic Disease Risk
This project explores a new way to help Latino children and their parents manage weight and lower the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.
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Understanding how where you live and personal factors during pregnancy affect a child’s risk for obesity and metabolic problems
This project looks at how neighborhood conditions and individual factors during pregnancy may influence a child’s risk of obesity and metabolic health as they grow.
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A hybrid mobile-family program to prevent obesity in preschoolers
A neighborhood-friendly program uses in-person meetings plus mobile phone support to help Latino families with 2- to 5-year-olds adopt healthier eating, less screen time, and more activity to prevent obesity.
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Adapting a proven kids’ lifestyle program to boost reach and impact
A study from Stanford aims to spread and improve a well-proven healthy-lifestyle program for children with obesity so more families can use it effectively.
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Strengthening obesity risk screening and referrals in early childhood
A 3-year study in New York aims to make it easier to find and connect families with social supports to prevent obesity from infancy into later childhood.
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Childhood obesity and cardiometabolic health in Latino youth from low-income families
This project follows Mexican American kids from birth through mid-adolescence to understand how weight and heart health develop over time.
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.