The Impact of an Acute Bout of Exercise on Children's Eating Behaviors
Pediatric ObesityThe purpose of this project is to examine the effects of an acute bout of exercise on children's energy intake over the course of a day. Previous studies in adolescents and adults have shown exercise to be effective in decreasing short-term energy intake, with some variability. Individual characteristics such as habitual physical activity and psychological factors may influence the effect of exercise on energy intake, but these factors have yet to be examined. The investigators have assembled a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, with expertise in eating behavior, exercise, psychology, and clinical research in order to examine these questions. First, the investigators will examine the difference in energy intake at lunch, snack, and dinner meals in response to 30 minutes of imposed exercise compared to 30 minutes of rest. Second, the investigators will collect objective measures of children's habitual physical activity, child characteristics (body composition, eating behavior traits), and individual responses to the controlled exercise bout. The investigators can then examine both group and individual differences in the energy intake response to exercise. Children (ages 9-12) will be tested over the course of three visits. The key outcome will be differences in energy intake in response to exercise vs. rest. Secondary outcomes include the influence of differences in habitual physical activity, personal characteristics, and responses to the exercise bout on children's energy intake. The long term goal of this line of research is to understand the mechanisms behind the interaction between exercise and energy intake. The translational potential of this research will be to inform personalized childhood obesity prevention strategies in children at risk for overweight.
Early Prevention of Childhood Obesity: an Active Pregnancy
PregnancyThe main aim of this study was to examine the effect of a supervised physical exercise program on the prevention of childhood obesity and its impact on the motor development of the offspring.
Improving Primary Care to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Overweight in Preschool Age ChildrenRisk of Overweight in Preschool Age ChildrenTo determine the extent to which a clinical intervention based on the Chronic Care Model (CCM), compared with the usual care control condition, results in a smaller age-associated increase in body mass index (BMI) over a 1 year intervention (primary outcome) and a 1 1/2-year follow-up period.
Cleveland Kids Run
Childhood ObesityA 12 month long program focused on making good food choices and exercise directed at 8-12 year olds and their caregivers. The program will consist of monthly educational meetings each teaching a new nutritional and exercise concept. Children will be given weekly exercise schedules and their adherence to the program will be assessed. The study will culminate with an annual children's race in May.
The Effect of Eccentric Training on Anthropometrics, Physical Fitness and Bone Strength in Overweight...
Childhood ObesityThe purpose of this study is to examine the effects of aerobic eccentric training in overweight and obese children.
Text Messaging Pediatric Obese Patients
Pediatric ObesityThis study hopes to investigate the relationship between positive reinforcement for exercise activities in pediatric obese participants and quality of life. The investigators hypothesize that providing positive reinforcement through text messaging to children living with obesity will improve their overall quality of life. The investigators will recruit pediatric obese participants and administer a pre and post survey regarding quality of life. The family will be given recommendations on various ways to increase physical activity weekly. These participants will then receive positive reinforcement for completed exercises through text messages.
Health Information Technology to Support Clinical Decision Making in Obesity Care
Childhood OverweightChildhood ObesityThe purpose of this study is to address priority Research Area 3 in PAR-08-270: Health information technology (HIT) to improve health care decision making through the use of integrated data and knowledge management. The proposed study will evaluate the use of HIT for clinician decision support and tailored patient education on the implementation of the current guidelines for the prevention of obesity-related chronic conditions in health disparity populations of poor, minority youth who access care through SBHCs. The specific aims are: To evaluate the effectiveness of web-based training with and without computerized clinical decision support on provider's process and outcome behaviors related to implementing the current guidelines for prevention of obesity and related conditions. a. Process variables include the following: i. Provider knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to implementing the guidelines. ii. Parent perception of the interpersonal process of care (i.e., provider communication, collaborative decision making, and interpersonal style). iii. Parent perception of provider support for their child's healthy eating and exercise. b. Behavior outcomes include the following: i. Provider self-reported behaviors of identification and assessment of overweight, counseling on nutrition and physical activity, use of behavioral interventions, referrals, and cultural competency. ii. Documentation by chart review of body mass index (BMI) percentile for age and sex; appropriate diagnosis when BMI > 85th percentile; blood pressure (BP) percentile for age, height, and sex; and ordering appropriate laboratory tests when indicated. To explore the role of HIT in the processes of system change for implementation of the guidelines for prevention of obesity and related conditions, including the facilitators, barriers, and impact of the care model on change.
Improving Childhood Obesity-Related Behavior Change Through Better Risk Communication
ObesityChildhoodOne-third of American children are overweight or obese, leading to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), early mortality, and other risks throughout their lifespan relative to normal weight children. In our pilot work, we found that 67-83% of parents underestimate a child's long-term risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adulthood and that parents thought their own child's risks were 13-15% lower than those of a typical child in their community, even controlling for family health and demographic characteristics. Parents were 40 times less likely to predict that their child, rather than a typical child in their community, would be overweight or obese in adulthood. These findings suggest that parents suffer from optimism bias, the tendency to overestimate one's chances of experiencing unlikely positive events. Belief that a child is at increased risk for adverse health outcomes in adulthood could be an important motivator for a family to initiate behavior changes and vice versa. The overall goal of this research is to develop provider-based risk communication approaches to motivate parents of obese children to engage in behavior change to protect their children from CVD and other obesity-related co-morbidities later in life. Specifically, the investigators will: Develop risk communication methods that providers can use to better convey accurate information about a child's health behaviors, obesity status, and future health risks to parents. Using an online experiment, we will evaluate the impact of new risk communication methods on parental engagement in behavior change. Pilot test the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of new risk communication approaches in pediatric primary care clinics. This work will give pediatricians novel tools to effectively discuss the long-term consequences of childhood obesity with parents. The findings from this work will inform an interventional trial that will assess the impact of improved risk communication techniques on child behavior change and health outcomes.
Neuro-cognitive Impact of Juvenile Obesity
Pediatric ObesityBehavior and Behavior Mechanisms1 moreRecent studies indicate that obese teenagers exhibit memory disturbances. Adolescence represents a crucial period in the development of the hippocampus and the amygdala, necessary for the implementation of memory and emotional functions for the rest of life. Disturbances of the interaction between amygdala and hippocampus during adolescence have been associated with the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the impact of juvenile obesity on functional amygdala-hippocampus connectivity has not been evaluated yet. The main objective of this study is to compare the emotional memory performance and the level of functional connectivity between the hippocampus and the amygdala during the realization of an emotional associative memory task, in obese and control adolescents.
TREating Pediatric Obesity
Infant ObesityHepatic Steatosis3 moreThe main aim of the study is to collect preliminary information on the feasibility and efficacy of a time restricted eating intervention in Spanish children and adolescents with obesity and metabolic comorbidities. Two 8-week interventions will performed in a randomized crossover controlled design: a) reduction of the habitual eating window; b) standard care. Different measurements of body composition and cardiometabolic health markers will be performed along those weeks.