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.
• Ghattas, Hala, 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.
• 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 allAffiliate Publications

• Adams EL, Edgar A, Mosher P, Weaver RG, Beets MW, et al. Barriers to Optimal Child Sleep among Families with Low Income: A Mixed-Methods Study to Inform Intervention Development. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023;20(1):862. doi:10.3390/ijerph2001086

• Au LE, Arnold CD, Ritchie LD, Frongillo EA. The Infant Diet Quality Index Predicts Dietary and Adiposity Outcomes in US Children 2 to 4 years old. The Journal of Nutrition. 2023;153(3):741-748. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.037

• Biggs BK, Rodgers KV, Nayman SJ, Wilson DK, et al. Translation of a family-based behavioral intervention for adolescent obesity using the RE-AIM framework and common steps from adaptation frameworks. Translational Behavioral Medicine. Published online April 13, 2023:ibad022. doi:10.1093/tbm/ibad022

• 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.
• Brazendale K, Gurnurkar S, Hunt ET, Burkart S, Armstrong B, Weaver RG, Beets MW, Sikder A, McClean C. Free Summer Day Camp to Address Childhood Obesity: Is There Demand? Childhood Obesity. http://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2022.0181

• Bucko AG, Armstrong B, McIver KL, McLain AC, Pate RR. Longitudinal associations between sleep and weight status in infants and toddlers. Pediatr Obes. 2023;18(8):e13056. doi:10.1111/ijpo.13056

• 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

• Cohen CC, Perng W, Sauder KA, Hebert JR, et al. Maternal Diet Quality During Pregnancy and Offspring Hepatic Fat in Early Childhood: The Healthy Start Study. The Journal of Nutrition. Published online February 14, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.039

• Crouch E, Abshire DA, Wirth MD, Hung P, Benavidez GA. Rural–Urban Differences in Overweight and Obesity, Physical Activity, and Food Security Among Children and Adolescents. Prev Chronic Dis. 2023;20:230136. doi:10.5888/pcd20.230136

• 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

• Dugger R, Weaver RG, Bean MK, Beets M, Adams EL, et al. Reducing Poverty and Building Capacity—Perceived Child and Family Impacts of the Child Tax Credit Expansion. J of Pol Practice & Research. Published online July 18, 2023. doi:10.1007/s42972-023-00085-6

• Eichner-Seitz N, Pate RR, Paul IM. Physical activity in infancy and early childhood: a narrative review of interventions for prevention of obesity and associated health outcomes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1155925. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1155925

• Elbassuoni S, Ghattas H, Ati JE, et al. Capturing children food exposure using wearable cameras and deep learning. PLOS Digital Health. 2023;2(3):e0000211. doi:10.1371/journal.pdig.0000211

• 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. (2022). Perceived challenges to implementing childhood obesity prevention strategies in pediatric primary care. SSM – Qualitative Research in Health. 2(2022). doi: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2022.100185.
• Mandelbaum J & Harrison SE. Primary Care Clinicians' Perceived Role in Addressing Childhood Obesity in the Southern United States. Southern Medical Journal. 2022 Nov;115(11):824-830. DOI: 10.14423/smj.0000000000001468. PMID: 36318948.
• 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.

• Monalisa NN, Frongillo EA, Blake CE, Steck SE, DiPietro RB. Strategies elementary school children use to influence mothers’ food purchasing decisions. Matern Child Nutr. Published online June 15, 2023:e13539. doi:10.1111/mcn.13539

• 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, Vogler 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

• Weaver RG, White JW, Finnegan O, Beets MW, Adams EL, Bastyr M, et al. Understanding Accelerated Summer Body Mass Index Gain by Tracking Changes in Children’s Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index Throughout the Year. Childhood Obesity. Published online April 19, 2023. doi:10.1089/chi.2023.0029

• Wende ME, Meyer MRU, Abildso CG, Davis K, Kaczynski AT. Urban-rural disparities in childhood obesogenic environments in the United States: Application of differing rural definitions. J Rural Health. 2022;10.1111/jrh.12677. doi:10.1111/jrh.12677

• Zaltz DA, Pate RR, Liu T, McIver KL, Neelon B, Benjamin-Neelon SE. Young Children’s Dietary Quality in Family Child Care and in Their Own Home. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023;123(8):1197-1206. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2022.10.014

• 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

• Children's Physical Activity Research Group (CPARG)
• Arnold Healthy Kids Initiative (AHKI)

Community Related Organizations

• SNAP-Ed