Strategies to boost impact of an obesity prevention program in communities
Official title: Testing strategies to increase the impact of an obesity prevention intervention in a community setting
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11449567 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project will test how to scale and optimize HEALTH, a proven weight-management program for young adult women, in real community settings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $663,077 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK145897-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449567 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young adult women, including mothers of young children, and families engaged with home-visiting services.
✕Less likely to help
Women outside the target age range or without access to the HEALTH program through PAT may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to take HEALTH, a proven home-based program for healthy eating and activity, and figure out the best ways to implement it across a national network of home visitors. Researchers will use implementation science and participatory modeling to understand how to adopt, implement, and reach more participants within real communities. They will analyze administrative data and collaborate with Parents as Teachers to test scalable strategies that support system-wide adoption. The work focuses on improving weight-related health outcomes and reducing chronic disease risk for young women and their families. The study runs through late 2026 to 2030 in community settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could increase access to effective weight-management resources for many young adult women, potentially reducing future diabetes and heart disease risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work showed HEALTH can reduce weight gain and improve gestational weight gain and postpartum weight loss, supporting a potential for broader community-scale impact.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tabak, Rachel G — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Tabak, Rachel G
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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.