Understanding how maternal and infant sleep and daily rhythms influence early appetite and obesity risk
Official title: Identifying mechanisms of maternal-infant obesity risk transmission: The role of appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11628798 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how infant sleep, circadian rhythms, and maternal-infant timing relate to early appetite patterns and the risk of obesity in the first year of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $67,737 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HL166171-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11628798 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals with BMI 18.5 kg/m2 or higher and their infants through 12 months who are willing to participate in multi-timepoint assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Families who cannot commit to the repeated visits or have conditions affecting sleep or feeding measurement may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
In the first year, how babies eat and gain weight may shape obesity risk later on. The study follows pregnant women in their third trimester and their babies at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, tracking sleep, circadian rhythms, appetite traits, and weight. By using both objective measures and questionnaires, researchers aim to see if sleep patterns and rhythm synchronization between mother and baby influence appetite development. If successful, findings could guide simple behavioral approaches to reduce obesity risk from infancy. Participation would involve regular assessments during and after birth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new behavioral strategies to support healthy weight development in infancy and potentially reduce obesity risk later in life.
How similar studies have gone: Early studies link sleep, circadian rhythms, and appetite to obesity risk, but this project tests these links prospectively in infants and may extend current knowledge.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conlon, Rachel P. Kolko — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Conlon, Rachel P. Kolko
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how knee pain and knee obesity and muscle loss affect knee osteoarthritis
This project looks at how knee swelling, excess knee fat, and muscle loss relate to pain and structural changes in knee osteoarthritis in adults.
-
GLP-1 receptor agonists as immune targets to treat asthma in lean and obese adults
Aims to understand how GLP-1R‑agonist diabetes medicines may directly calm immune cells to reduce asthma in adults who are lean or obese.
-
Understanding how where you live and personal factors during pregnancy affect a child’s risk for obesity and metabolic problems
This project looks at how neighborhood conditions and individual factors during pregnancy may influence a child’s risk of obesity and metabolic health as they grow.
-
Multicomponent lifestyle program to curb obesity and cardiometabolic risk in Samoan children
A locally designed lifestyle program aimed at preventing obesity and heart-disease risk in Samoan kids, with a focus on daily routines, healthy eating, sleep, and family support.
-
Game-based mobile app to help pregnant women with overweight/obesity manage weight in Nepal
A new app designed for pregnant women in Nepal with overweight or obesity to help manage weight gain during pregnancy and reduce weight retention after birth.
-
Predictors of Keeping Off Weight After Losing It in Adults with Obesity
Researchers will study why some people who lose about 10% of their body weight after lifestyle changes regain weight, by looking at behavior and body signals in adults with overweight or obesity.
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.