How obesity affects children's breathing as they grow up
Official title: Respiratory Effects of Obesity in Children: Longitudinal Consequences after 6 Years of Aging
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11372243 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study follows children with obesity and without obesity as they age to see how body fat, lung function, exercise ability, and breathlessness change over six years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | July 5, 2017 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $536,439 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL136643-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372243 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are children who were 8–12 years old at baseline, with and without obesity, now approaching later adolescence.
✕Less likely to help
Non-obese children without breathing or exercise complaints may have limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
We will re-examine kids who were 8–12 years old to see how their body fat, lung function, and exercise tolerance evolve through adolescence. The researchers will measure body composition and breathing performance, then test exercise capacity and how hard breathing feels during activity. The goal is to understand whether obesity continues to worsen breathing and exercise in youth and whether differences exist between boys and girls. This work builds on prior findings to map long-term respiratory health in children with and without obesity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help tailor interventions to improve breathing and physical activity for obese children as they grow.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed higher fat gain in obese children over one year; this study extends that inquiry over six years to confirm and expand on those results.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Babb, Tony G — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Babb, Tony G
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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.