Improving school meals and physical activity for elementary students in Anchorage, Alaska
Official title: Evaluation of a District-Wide Initiative to Improve School Meal Consumption and Physical Activity Levels among Elementary Students in Anchorage, Alaska
Funded at Merrimack College · NIH-11000831 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a program designed to help elementary school kids in Anchorage, Alaska, eat better and be more active, especially focusing on those from less advantaged backgrounds, and it will follow about 4,000 students over four years to see how their eating and activity habits change.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Merrimack College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Andover, United States) |
| Project start | August 26, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $474,541 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD107492-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11000831 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are elementary school students in grades K-4, particularly those from Alaska Native or American Indian backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside of the K-4 grade range or those not attending schools participating in the wellness initiative may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a wellness initiative aimed at enhancing the dietary habits and physical activity levels of elementary school students in Anchorage, Alaska. The initiative includes longer lunch periods and increased physical activity opportunities, with a focus on children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and racial/ethnic minorities. The study will track changes in meal consumption and physical activity over four years, involving approximately 4,000 students in grades K-4. Data will be collected through plate waste methodology and accelerometer measurements to assess the effectiveness of the program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved nutrition and increased physical activity among children, potentially reducing obesity rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous initiatives aimed at improving school meal programs and physical activity have shown promise, suggesting that this approach could yield positive results.
Where this research is happening
-
Merrimack College
North Andover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cohen, Juliana Fw — Merrimack College
- Study coordinator: Cohen, Juliana Fw
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Next generation gene expression analysis
A study exploring how cells manage stressed proteins to understand diseases like neurodegeneration and cancer, using advanced gene expression techniques.
-
CRISPR toolkit to study hair cell development in inner ear organoids
A new CRISPR-based toolkit will help researchers understand how hair cells in the inner ear develop, using lab-grown organoids that model adult human biology.
-
How new school meal nutrition rules may affect children's diets and weight
This work will measure how the updated federal school meal rules change what children eat and their body weight.
-
Longer school lunches and more daily activity for elementary students in Anchorage
See if longer lunch periods and extra daily physical activity help elementary students in Anchorage eat more of their school meals and be more active.
-
Understanding how preschool children learn from taking risks
This study is looking at how taking risks can help preschoolers, ages 4 and 5, learn better and make friends, and it aims to find out how these adventurous behaviors can support their growth and development.
-
Aging mitochondria and inflammation
A mitochondria-targeted approach is being tested to lower age-related inflammation that can worsen Alzheimer's and other age-related conditions in older adults.
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.