Research

Click on the project name for more information.

Overview

Our goal is to advance the health of the population through obesity prevention research and practice.  We approach obesity prevention from a public health perspective, focusing on early prevention, the health of populations and behavior modification through environmental changes.  Our research programs focus on multiple factors, including the individual, social networks and physical environments in which people live.  We integrate the expertise of multiple disciplines, educate and train investigators, students, health care practitioners and community members and apply knowledge to the practice of preventing obesity through partnerships with community and academic collaborators. 

Our projects include: Altering Dietary Patterns in Preschool Children (High 5 for Kids), Altering Dietary Patterns in Preschool Children (High 5, Low Fat Dissemination), Preventing High Risk Cancer Behaviors in Underserved Children and Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Children - An Intergenerational Approach (P.A.R.A.D.E.), Development and Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for use with Children (SLU4Kids), Nutrition Education Training Academy (Enhancing the Role of Public Health Nutritionists Funded by: Missouri Department of Health), and Altering Dietary Patterns in African American Parents (High 5 Low Fat).

Current  Projects

Adolescence represents a critical period for the development of overweight that may lead into adulthood. Teens that become pregnant and experience postpartum weight retention are especially at risk for developing impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases. This proposal was recently funded and will test Balance Adolescent Lifestyle Activities and Nutrition Choices for Energy (BALANCE), a multilevel intervention designed to reduce overweight in postpartum teens through the replacement of ‘obesogenic’ patterns (such as high soda intake, fatty snack intake, excess portion size, and sedentary activity) with ‘energy’ patterns (such as low fat milk/water consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, appropriate portion size, and walking). BALANCE combines an ecological approach which recognizes the multiple, protective, and interactive levels of influence on the teen (intrapersonal, interpersonal, physical) with behavior change strategies based on social cognitive theory.  This approach will combine personal visits by parent educators in the home, with classroom-based activities at school, plus Internet-based technologies maintaining interactive learning and communication.  Our study population will include 1890 postpartum teens from around the country, ages 16-19 and greater than 85th percentile BMI, who are participants in the PAT Teen Program. 

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Diabetes Research and Training Center’s Prevention and Control Core

The objectives of the Diabetes Research and Training Center’s Prevention & Control Research Program are to facilitate research in phase 1 (e.g., bench to bedside) and phase 2 (e.g., clinical research to community practice) of diabetes translation research. Services are provided through three Cores: the Clinical Core, the Mental Health Core and the Community and Vulnerable Populations Core.

DRTC Tracking Form

Mystics Project

The Obesity Prevention Center, the WNBA's Washington Mystics and the Mystics President Sheila Johnson recently debuted a new program called Mystics in Training (MIT).  MIT was designed to encourage physical activity and proper nutrition in elementary school children.  The program creates and supports school environments by providing pedometers for children, physical activity and nutrition curriculum, newsletters, coloring books, bottled water, nutritious snacks and an interactive website for teachers. The pilot program includes children attending schools in Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland. 

Approximately 29% of children in the U.S. are overweight or at risk for becoming overweight. In the local region, obesity prevalence is 30% (Washington, DC), 31% (Prince George County) and 28% (Virginia).  Research has shown that obese children are:

Up to 12 times more likely to have elevated insulin levels, a risk factor for Type 2   diabetes
Up to 4.5 times more likely to have hypertension
Report being stigmatized by peers
 
Our primary aim is that MIT will meet the following objectives:

1. Children will be in a school environment that provides reinforcement and access to fruits and vegetables, water instead of sweetened drinks, and 60 minutes of daily physical activity
2. Teachers will have access to relevant best practices and materials associated with obesity prevention
3. Parents will be provided resources and participate in activities that support healthy behaviors in their children
4. Schools will be reinforced via media and other resources for engaging in healthy practices

The results of this program will be used to guide implementation of a nationwide program designed to prevent childhood obesity through the schools.

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Past Projects

Publications Resulting from Study

• Linneman C, Hessler K, Nanney S, Steger-May K, Huynh A, Haire-Joshu D.  Parents are accurate reporters of their preschoolers' fruit and vegetable consumption under limited conditions.  J Nutr Educ Behav. 2004 Nov-Dec;36(6):305-8.
• Nanney MS, Haire-Joshu D, Hessler K, Brownson RC. Rationale for a consistent "powerhouse" approach to vegetable and fruit messages. J Am Diet Assoc. 2004 Mar;104(3):352-6
• Kelly CM, Baker EA, Williams D, Nanney MS, Haire-Joshu D. Organizational capacity's effects on the delivery and outcomes of health education programs. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2004 Mar-Apr;10(2):164-70.
• Haire-Joshu D, Nanney MS. Prevention of overweight and obesity in children: Influences on the food environment. The Diabetes Educator, 2002, 28(3):415-422.
• Eyler AA, Haire-Joshu D, Brownson RC, Nanney MS.  Correlate of fat intake among urban, low income, African Americans. Am J Health Beh. 2004 28(5):410-417
• Nanney MS, Johnson S, Elliott M, Haire-Joshu D. Frequency of eating Home Grown Produce is Associates with Higher Intakes among Parents and their Preschool Children in Rural Missouri (Submitted to Journal of American Dietetic Association . 2007

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Publications Resulting from Study

• Bender J, Bownson R, Elliott M, Haire-Joshu D, 2005. Children's physical activity: Using accelerometers to validate a parent proxy record. Medical Science in Sports and Exercise. 37,8,1409-13.
• Eyler AA, Nanney MS, Brownson R, Loman D, Haire-Joshu D, 2006. Correlates of After School Activity Preference in Children Ages 5-12. The PARADE Study. American Journal of Health Education. March-April, 37, 2, 69-77.
• Nanney MS, Haire-Joshu D, Elliott M, Hessler K, Brownson R, 2005. Evaluating changeability to improve fruit and vegetable intake among school aged children. Nutrition Journal. 4, 34, 1-7.
• Mushi C, Haire-Joshu D, Elliott M, Brownson R, Fruit and vegetables intake and obesity in preadolescent children: the role of neighborhood poverty and grocery store access. Journal of Health Education, in press.
• Mushi C, Haire-Joshu D, Elliott M. Food spending behaviors and perceptions are associated with fruit and vegetable intake among parents and their preadolescent children. Journal of Nutrition Education, in press.
  
  

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Poster Presentations:

Bante HA, Harrod A, Elliott M, Haire-Joshu D.  The Short and Long-term Impact of Coercive Feeding Strategies on Children.  Poster presentation, North American Association for the Study of Obesity, Vancouver, Canada.  October 15-19, 2005.

Bante HA, Hessler K, Harrod A, Elliott M, Haire-Joshu D.  Combating Coercive Feeding:  High 5 for Kids Observes Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Relation to Common Parenting Strategies.  Poster presentation, American Dietetic Association, St. Louis, MO.  October 22-25, 2005.

Harrod A, Hessler K, Elliott M, Haire-Joshu D. “Fruit and vegetable availability and consumption among rural parents who frequently eat away from home.”  Delta Omega Student Poster presented at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Exposition, November 2004.

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