Childhood Obesity Prevention Research

Research using technology

The Healthy Weight Care Assistant

Dr. Jeremy Michel helped to develop a recent quality improvement pilot project using clinical decision support (CDS) at one ambulatory care center. This CDS - The Healthy Weight Care Assistant  - was developed to promote the weight status recognition and to support evidence-based recommendation adherence for obesity management.

Modeling of Obesity-related Risk Factors Using CHOP Network Registry Data

Information from electronic health records will be used to assess current obesity-related care in the CHOP pediatric network.

A Peer-based, Social-media Enabled Intervention to Promote Healthy Growth in Infancy

This study will develop and examine a novel peer-based, social media-enabled intervention that promotes behavior change through modeling to prevent obesity in infants from birth to 6 months of age.

CHOP-wide Obesity Registry

Using electronic health records, we are extracting obesity-related data from patient records in the Healthy Weight Clinic and CHOP's network of primary care practices.

Clinical research

Infant Growth and Microbiome Study (I-gram)

This prospective observational cohort study will test associations between gut microbiota and early weight gain in the first year of life among infants born to normal-weight vs. obese African American, mainly low-income mothers, where obesity risk is among the highest.

Eating Pace Retraining in Early Childhood Obesity Prevention

Investigators will develop a novel, family-based behavioral intervention (Re-Pace) to retrain 4- to 7-year-old rapid eaters at high risk for becoming obese to reduce their rate of eating and to develop self-awareness of satiety.

Community-based research

Helping Ensure Financial and Food Security Through Community Partnerships for Patients in the Urban Care Network

Through this novel collaboration between CHOP and Benefits Data Trust, primary care team members within CHOP’s urban Care Network sites are working to address food insecurity among young patients and their families. By referring families to Benefits Data Trust, adults will receive application assistance in order to obtain public benefits, including for programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Healthy Hearts, Healthy Lives Study

This community-based study focuses on cardiovascular disease and obesity in children and youth.

Improving Home Food Preparation Practices among Families with Young Children: A Peer Mentoring Intervention

This study aims to test the effectiveness of a community-based peer mentoring intervention to improve home food preparation practices among families with children from birth to 3 years in West Philadelphia.

Peripartum Obesity and Postpartum Weight Retention Study

This study aims to develop, evaluate, and implement an intervention to reduce postpartum weight retention and increase breastfeeding duration among low income women.

After Food Deserts Become Food Oases: Improving Engagement with Local Food Systems Among Low-income, Urban families

This project will assess barriers to community-supported agriculture (CSA) and farm stand participation, assess whether barriers vary based on existing habits, and explore ways to improve engagement with the CSA program and farm stand.

Basic science

Identification of Compounds Effective in Preventing and/or Treating Obesity Using a Novel Mouse Model of Childhood Hypothalamic Obesity

The purpose of the trial is to use a mouse model of hypothalamic obesity to identify drugs effective in its prevention and treatment.