Current Projects
The Family Health Study
This study aims to identify familial factors that impact the
disproportionate burden of obesity experienced by low-income and
minority children throughout Pennsylvania. The ultimate goal
is
to promote healthy dietary and physical activity environments that may
stem the development of obesity in children.
Activity Choices in Young Children
Sedentary activity, such as television viewing, has been implicated in the development of obesity in children. Children spend more time watching television than in any other activity other than sleeping. The question is whether children will choose physical activity when given the opportunity to choose from games and toys that promote physical activity.
Television Viewing and its Influence on Obesity in Young Children
TV viewing may contribute to the development of obesity in children by (a) displacing physical activity, (b) reducing metabolic rate, (c) exposure to commercials that encourage children to eat and request advertised foods, and (d) promoting eating patterns that influence weight gain. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that television viewing influences the development of overweight and obesity in children through its effects on children’s dietary intake and activity patterns.
Stress and the Development of Obesity in Children
This project examines links between stress, stress reactivity and weight gain in children, through effects on dysregulated eating behavior.