Lifestyle program to improve heart and metabolic health in women ages 18–25
Official title: An Integrated Lifestyle Intervention to Promote Cardiometabolic Health among Emerging Adult Women
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11286808 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Helps women ages 18–25 improve sleep, diet, activity, and stress to lower inflammation and reduce future risk of heart and metabolic disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | March 20, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $310,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137998-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11286808 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are women aged about 18–25 who are overweight or concerned about cardiometabolic risk and who experience sleep problems, stress, or depressive symptoms that affect lifestyle habits.
✕Less likely to help
This program is not designed for men, people younger than 18 or older than 25, or individuals with advanced cardiometabolic disease who need specialized medical treatment.
What this research studies
You would take part in a lifestyle program tailored for emerging adult women that combines sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and stress-management strategies to reduce chronic low-level inflammation. The team will collect weight, sleep patterns, diet and activity information, psychological symptom reports, and inflammatory markers to guide personalized support. The program is designed specifically for people aged 18–25 because this age group faces unique stressors and behavior patterns that can make standard weight-loss programs less effective. Participation likely includes regular visits and follow-up over the project period to monitor progress and adjust the plan.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lower inflammation and improve weight and metabolic risk factors, reducing long-term risk for heart disease and related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior behavioral weight-loss programs for emerging adults have shown only modest benefits and women often benefit less, so this inflammation-focused, tailored approach is relatively novel though supported by preliminary data.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Larose, Jessica Gokee — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Larose, Jessica Gokee
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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.