Investigating how prenatal factors influence childhood growth and obesity risk.
Official title: Prenatal Longitudinal Metabolomics Profiling for Early Childhood Growth Trajectories and Obesity Risk in a US Biracial Birth Cohort
Funded at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr · NIH-11083667 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how changes in a mom's metabolism during pregnancy might influence her child's growth and risk of becoming overweight, with the hope of finding ways to help prevent obesity in kids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $749,261 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK134937-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11083667 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant women, particularly those in the second and third trimesters, who are part of a biracial birth cohort.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or those whose pregnancies are not within the specified trimesters may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how metabolic changes during pregnancy can affect a child's growth and risk of obesity. By analyzing biological samples from mothers during different stages of pregnancy, the study aims to identify specific metabolites that may predict obesity in their children. The approach involves collecting data at multiple time points to create a comprehensive profile of prenatal influences on child health. This could lead to early interventions that help prevent obesity in children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide early biomarkers for predicting and preventing childhood obesity.
How similar studies have gone: While there is emerging evidence supporting the role of prenatal factors in childhood obesity, this specific approach using longitudinal metabolomics profiling is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Qi — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Qi
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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.