Pandemic stress and children's weight and heart health
Official title: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors on childhood obesity and cardiometabolic risk
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11121788 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how COVID-19-related stress affects kids' weight and heart-related health and what helps protect some children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $670,536 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK131410-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11121788 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents who experienced pandemic-related stress, especially kids who are at risk for or living with overweight or obesity, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Adults and children with no history of pandemic-related stress or whose health needs are unrelated to weight or cardiometabolic risk may not see direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If your child joins, researchers will follow children over time to track changes in body weight, BMI, and markers of heart and metabolic health. They will gather information about pandemic-related stressors at home, school, and in the community and measure behaviors and mental health. The team will also collect biological measures to help link stress with changes in health. Results will be used to identify which supports or habits help prevent lasting weight and cardiometabolic problems after the pandemic.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to practical ways to prevent pandemic-related weight gain and lower future heart and metabolic disease risk in children.
How similar studies have gone: Research has linked stress to weight gain in children before, but applying this focus specifically to pandemic-related stress and long-term cardiometabolic outcomes is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kunin-Batson, Alicia S — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Kunin-Batson, Alicia S
Related research
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How COVID-19 stress affects childhood obesity and heart health
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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.