Understanding how genetics and parenting affect children's eating habits and weight gain.
Official title: Characterizing the relationships of genetic risk and parental coercive feeding practices with appetitive traits and adiposity gain across early life.
Funded at Dartmouth College · NIH-11075252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how a child's genes and the way parents feed them can affect their eating habits and weight as they grow up, especially during preschool years, to help understand how certain feeding practices might influence kids' health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $599,292 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK136698-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11075252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 2 to 5 years who may be at risk for obesity due to genetic factors or parental feeding practices.
✕Less likely to help
Children who are not within the preschool age range or do not have any concerns related to obesity or eating behaviors may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how genetic predispositions and parental feeding practices influence children's appetitive traits and weight gain during the critical preschool years. It focuses on understanding the relationship between coercive feeding methods, such as restricting food intake or using food to manage emotions, and how these practices may affect children's eating behaviors and body weight. By analyzing these factors, the study aims to identify how genetic risk for obesity interacts with parenting styles to impact children's dietary habits and overall health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for preventing obesity in young children by informing parents about effective feeding practices.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding the interplay between genetics and feeding practices can lead to significant insights into childhood obesity, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth College
Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Emond, Jennifer a. — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Emond, Jennifer a.
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.