PROGRESS: preventing overweight in early childhood for rural, low‑income families
Official title: PROGRESS for the primary prevention of early overweight in low-income, rural families
Funded at Pennsylvania State University, the · NIH-11450095 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program in rural, low‑income communities will test a strengthened parenting approach to help infants grow healthily and reduce future risk of overweight and type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project start | August 12, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $799,713 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK146257-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450095 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
First-time mothers and their infants in rural, low-income settings who are enrolled in WIC and have access to telehealth.
✕Less likely to help
Infants and families not engaged with WIC or lacking telehealth access may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to support first-time mothers of newborns in rural areas through telehealth-based guidance that strengthens responsive parenting. It builds on earlier work showing that responsive feeding and appropriate responses to infant cues can influence a child’s weight trajectory. Participants will receive standard WIC-nutrition education plus one of three enhanced parenting components delivered remotely, with a control curriculum for comparison. The study will enroll 328 mother-infant pairs soon after birth and monitor outcomes related to feeding, sleep, signaling, and BMI over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce the likelihood of overweight and related health problems for children in rural, low-income communities.
How similar studies have gone: Prior RP approaches showed reductions in obesogenic behaviors and BMI in some groups, but the enhanced PROGRESS components are being tested for added impact.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State University, the
University Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Williams, Jennifer Savage — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Williams, Jennifer Savage
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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.