Helping parents guide children to healthy eating habits
Official title: Positive food parenting intervention to promote healthy growth in children at risk for obesity
Funded at State University of New York at Buffalo · NIH-11117182 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to give parents helpful tools to encourage healthy eating and growth in children who might be at risk for obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $120,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R03DK138232-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11117182 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This opportunity is for parents of children aged 0-11 years who are at risk for obesity and are looking for guidance on positive food parenting practices.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose children are not at risk for obesity or whose parents are not seeking to change their food parenting practices may not directly benefit from this specific intervention.
What this research studies
Many parents find it challenging to help their children make healthy food choices, especially with so many tempting options available. Sometimes, strict rules about food can actually make things harder for kids. This project focuses on "positive food parenting," which means guiding children with supportive and structured approaches that respect their needs. We want to develop effective strategies that empower parents to foster healthy eating and growth, helping to reduce the risk of obesity in their children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide parents with practical, evidence-based strategies to promote healthier eating patterns and prevent obesity in their children.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data from related work suggests that positive, structure-based feeding practices can lead to children consuming fewer calories, indicating promise for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
State University of New York at Buffalo
Amherst, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balantekin, Katherine Naime — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Balantekin, Katherine Naime
Related research
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Helping parents promote healthy eating in children at risk for obesity
This study is all about helping parents of young kids, ages 0-11, learn fun and supportive ways to encourage healthy eating habits to prevent obesity, so they can help their children grow up strong and healthy.
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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.