Strengthening obesity risk screening and referrals in early childhood
Official title: Strengthening Screening and Referral Systems to Address Early Childhood Obesity Risk
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11408504 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A 3-year study in New York aims to make it easier to find and connect families with social supports to prevent obesity from infancy into later childhood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $722,724 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD120238-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408504 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals or families with an infant or young child in New York who may benefit from social-needs screening and referral to resources.
✕Less likely to help
Families without identified social needs or those not engaged with Medicaid/health and community systems may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how screening families for social needs (like housing and food security) can help reduce obesity disparities started in infancy. It leverages New York’s Medicaid 1115 Waiver to test policy strategies that connect families with resources and track how these connections affect weight outcomes over time. The study uses real-world settings in health and community systems to see what works best to prevent obesity in diverse populations. The goal is to identify practical, scalable approaches that address social factors contributing to obesity, not just individual behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could inform policies and programs that prevent obesity by addressing social needs in early childhood.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests social needs screening can influence health outcomes, but this project tests policy-level strategies in a statewide waiver context.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duh-Leong, Carol — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Duh-Leong, Carol
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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.