Wise social psychology ideas to boost weight-control in kids with obesity
Official title: Wise Social Psychological Interventions to Improve Outcomes of Behavioral Weight Control in Children with Obesity
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11352633 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Two small, friendly online-like ideas (growth mindset and self-affirmation) are added to a family-based weight-control program for children ages 10–15 to see if it helps keep BMI on a healthier path over a year.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $768,414 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK123286-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11352633 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 10–15 with obesity (BMI at or above the 95th percentile) and their families who can participate in a six-month behavioral program.
✕Less likely to help
Children who do not enroll in or complete the weight-control program or who do not respond to behavioral strategies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests whether adding brief growth mindset and self-affirmation exercises to a standard 6-month family-based weight-control program can improve BMI trajectories over 12 months in 200 children with obesity aged 10–15. Participants and their families continue with the usual care program, while those in the experimental group receive the additional social-psychology components designed to reduce psychological barriers to change. The trial uses a 2-arm, parallel-group randomized design to compare the combined intervention against the behavioral program alone. The study is conducted at Stanford University under a faculty PI and seeks to generate practical, scalable strategies to support sustained weight management in youth. It emphasizes real-world applicability and long-term impact on children’s health and well-being.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could make behavioral weight-control programs more effective for kids by addressing mindset and motivation, potentially leading to healthier BMI trajectories.
How similar studies have gone: Previous social-psychological interventions have shown promise in changing health behaviors when paired with traditional programs, but results in pediatric weight control are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Robinson, Thomas N. — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Robinson, Thomas N.
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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.