More Outside Your Door helps Alaska Native kids stay healthy
Official title: More Outside Your Door (MOYD)
Funded at Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium · NIH-11397286 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-based program in rural Alaska supports Alaska Native children ages 0-12 and their families with traditional foods, physical activity, and sleep habits to reduce obesity and future heart risks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Anchorage, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $486,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168853-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397286 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Alaska Native families with children in preschool through early school age who participate in Head Start programs and live in rural Alaska communities.
✕Less likely to help
Families not engaged with Head Start or living outside the targeted Alaska Native communities may not experience direct benefits from this program.
What this research studies
MOYD is a multilevel, culturally centered effort that engages children, families, schools, and communities to promote healthier eating, more outdoor activity, and better sleep for Alaska Native preschoolers and beyond. The project builds on prior work with Head Start programs to integrate traditional foods and outdoor activities into daily routines, while providing parents with feedback about their child’s health screenings. Community partners will help create safer outdoor spaces and resources that encourage lifelong healthy habits. The study aims to translate culturally relevant practices into sustainable changes that may lower cardiometabolic risk starting in early childhood.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, MOYD could reduce obesity risk and future heart disease in Alaska Native children by embedding healthy habits in home, school, and community settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous community-based, culturally tailored interventions have shown promise in improving diet and activity, supporting the potential value of MOYD.
Where this research is happening
-
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Anchorage, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stillwater, Barbara Janoah — Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
- Study coordinator: Stillwater, Barbara Janoah
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.