Preventing Childhood Obesity
Addressing childhood obesity is a key focus and priority of many faculty of UofSC.
One particular group, The Arnold Childhood Obesity Initiative, focuses on increasing
physical activity and healthy eating among school-aged children. The emphasis of this
work is on instilling healthy habits in children to promotes healthy aging throughout
the lifespan.
Current Novel Research Efforts
Helping children consume healthful foods and beverages to meet the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans.
Scale down to promote the South Carolina Obesity Action Plan, a tactical plan that aims to build
on the success of previous efforts and offers new strategies to reduce obesity rates
in the Palmetto State.
Local policies for improving the school food environment in South Carolina.
Associated Affiliate Scholars
Adams, Elizabeth, Ph.D. Beets, Michael, Ph.D. Blake, Christine, Ph.D., RD Davis, Rachel, Ph.D. Draper, Carrie, MSW
Fram, Maryah, Ph.D.
Frongillo, Edward, Ph.D. Lane-Cordova, Abbi, Ph.D.
Larson, Leila, Ph.D., MPH Liese, Angela, Ph.D. Liu, Jihong, Sc.D.
Merchant, Anwar, Sc.D.
Moran, Robert, Ph.D. O’Neill, Jennifer, Ph.D. Ozturk, Orgul, Ph.D.
Pate, Russell, Ph.D. Probst, Jan, Ph.D.
Saunders, Ruth, Ph.D.
Shapiro, Cheri, Ph.D. Torres, Myriam Elsa, Ph.D.
Weaver, Glenn, Ph.D.
Wilson-King, Dawn, Ph.D.
Younginer, Nicholas, Ph.D. Zarrett, Nicole, Ph.D.
Expand all Affiliate Publications
Blake CE , Davison KK, Blaine RE, Fisher JO. (2021). Occasions, purposes, and contexts for offering snacks to preschool-aged children:
Schemas of caregivers with low-income backgrounds. Appetite , 167 , 105627.
Burkart S, Parker H, Weaver RG, Beets MW, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elementary schoolers' physical activity, sleep,
screen time and diet: A quasi-experimental interrupted time series study. Pediatric Obesity. 2021;e12846. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12846
Carducci B, Oh C, Roth DE, Neufeld L, Frongillo EA , L’Abbe MR, Fanzo J, Herforth A, Sellen DW, Bhutta ZA. Gaps and priorities in assessment of food environments for children and adolescents
in low- and middle- income countries. Nature Food 2:396-403, 2021. doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00299-5
Crowe R, Probst Y, Weaver RG, Beets MW , et al. Systematic observation of healthy eating environments in afterschool services: a cross-sectional
study. Public Health Nutrition . 2021:1-20. doi:10.1017/S1368980021003220
Hunt ET, von Klinggraeff L, Jones A, Burkart S, Dugger R, Armstrong B, Beets MW , Turner-McGrievy G , Geraci M, Weaver RG . (2021). Differences in Proportion of Children Meeting Behavior Guidelines During Summer &
School & by Socioeconomic Status and Race. Obes Sci Pract. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.532
Kaczynski AT , Eberth JM, Stowe EW , Wende M, Liese A , McLain A, Breneman CB, Josey MJ. Development of a national childhood obesogenic environment index in the United States:
differences by region and rurality. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity . 2020;17(1). doi:10.1186/s12966-020-00984-x.
Liese AD , Couch SC, The NS, et al. Association between diet quality indices and arterial stiffness in youth with type
1 diabetes: SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Nutrition Ancillary Study. Journal of Diabetes and its Complications . 2020:107709. doi:10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2020.107709.
Mandelbaum J, Harrison SE, Brittingham J. Disparities in nutrition counseling at pediatric wellness visits in South Carolina . Childhood Obesity. org/10.1089/chi.2020.0025, 2020.
Navarro SM, Tsai MM, Ritchie LD, Frongillo EA, Laraia BA, Pate RR , Au LE. Household Food Insecurity and Children's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior
in the United States: The Healthy Communities Study . Public Health Nutr . 2021;1-20. doi:10.1017/S1368980021002536
Ozturk OD, Frongillo E, Blake C, Mcinnes MM, Turner-McGrievy G . Before the lunch line: Effectiveness of behavioral economic interventions for pre-commitment
on elementary school children's food choices Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization. 2020. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3320549.
Pate RR, Frongillo EA , Cordan K, Dowda M, McLain AC, Torres ME , Brown WH, Bucko A, Shull ER. Linking Activity, Nutrition, and Child Health (LAUNCH): protocol for a longitudinal
cohort study of children as they develop from infancy to preschool age. BMC Public Health . 2020;20(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09023-7.
von Klinggraeff L, Dugger R, Brazendale K, Hunt ET, Moore JB, Turner-McGrievy G, K, Beets MW , Armstrong B, Weaver RG. Healthy Summer Learners: An explanatory mixed methods study and process evaluation.
Evaluation and Program Planning . 2022, 92, 102070.
von Klinggraeff L, Dugger R, Okely A, Lubans D, Jago R, Burkard S, Weaver RG , Armstrong B, Beets MW . Early-stage Studies to Larger-scale Trials: Investigators’ Perspectives on Scaling-Up
Childhood Obesity Interventions . Europe PMC, 2021; doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-514474/v1.
Weaver RG , Armstrong B, Hunt E, Beets M, Brazendale K, Dugger R, Turner-McGrievy G, Pate R, Maydeu-Olivares A, Saelens B, Youngstedt S. The Impact of Summer Vacation on Children’s Obesogenic Behaviors and Body Mass Index:
A natural experiment. Europe PMC. 2020. doi:10.21203/rs.2.24115/v1.
Weaver RG, Hunt ET, Armstrong B, Beets MW , Brazendale K, Turner-McGrievy G, Pate RR , Youngstedt SD, Dugger R, Parker H , von Klingraeff L, Jones A, Burkhart S, Ressor-Oyer L. COVID-19 Leads to Accelerated Increases in Children's BMI Z-Score Gain: An Interrupted
Time Series Study . American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2021; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.04.007
Weaver RG , Hunt E, Rafferty A, Beets MW , Brazendale K, Turner-McGrievy G , Pate RR , Maydeu-Olivares A, Saelens B, Youngstedt S. The potential of a year-round school calendar for maintaining children's weight status
and fitness: Preliminary outcomes from a natural experiment. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2020;9(1):18-27. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2019.05.006.
Weaver RG, Hunt E, Armstrong B, Beets MW, Brazendale K, Turner-McGrievy G, Pate RR , Maydeu-Olivares A, Saelens B, Youngstedt SD, Dugger R, Parker H, Klinggraeff L,
Jones A, Burkhart S, Ressor-Oyer L. Impact of a year-round school calendar on children's BMI and fitness: Final outcomes
from a natural experiment . Pediatr Obes . 2021;e12789. doi:10.1111/ijpo.12789
Zgodic A, Eberth JM , Breneman C, Wende ME, Kaczynski AT, Liese AD , McLain AC. Estimates of Childhood Overweight and Obesity at the Region, State, and County Levels:
A Multilevel Small Area Estimation Approach . Am J Epidemiol . 2021;kwab176. doi:10.1093/aje/kwab176
Research Labs & Centers
Community Related Organizations