# Obesity Prevention in Early Life (OPEL): Risk Screening and Targeted Intervention

> **NIH NIH K01** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2021 · $139,614

## Abstract

Given the difficulty of reversing obesity once present, there has been increasing focus on the primary
prevention of obesity early in the lifecourse. Few attempts have been made to prevent obesity during the first
years of life. This proposal summarizes a 5-year program of mentored professional development tied to a
multi-method research project intended to improve the identification and potential treatment of infants and
toddlers with high risk for obesity. My long-term goal is to prevent obesity by identifying infants at greatest risk
and providing for them an effective, family-centered intervention that targets modifiable, life course factors. My
central hypothesis, based on my prior research, is that identifying infants at risk for obesity prior to the onset of
unhealthy weight gain will enable early intervention. My research plan aims to: (1) create risk prediction models
for obesity at age 24 months by linking three existing data systems that combine birth certificate, contextual-
level, and health outcome data; (2) test the feasibility of linking these data prospectively to validate the Aim 1
obesity risk prediction models over a 24-month period within a contemporary, clinical cohort; and (3) identify
best approaches for family-focused risk communication regarding the prevention of excessive weight gain and
obesity in infants and toddlers using a human-centered design approach. Through my career development
plan and guidance from my mentors, I will expand upon a foundation in epidemiology and pediatric health
services research to develop expertise in machine learning, health informatics, data integration, qualitative
methods, human-centered design, and behavior change. Together, the research and educational aims of this
proposal will provide me with the necessary groundwork to compete for additional funding as an independent
investigator. Specifically, I will seek R03-level grant funding from the NIDDK in year 4 of my K01 award to test
the communication strategy developed in Aim 3 and to partner with families to modify an existing behavioral
change intervention for use in infancy. By the end of this award, I will be well positioned to apply for funding
from the NIDDK to conduct a robust R01-level study that combines the validated prediction models, family-
focused communication strategy, and modified intervention to determine whether we can effectively prevent
obesity in those infants and toddlers identified as being at the highest risk. This line of research will help
ensure that prevention efforts are deployed in an efficient, cost-effective manner and accepted by those who
need them. I will accomplish this work under the mentorship of Dr. Aaron E. Carroll, a child health services
researcher, and a multidisciplinary team of faculty with expertise machine learning, health informatics, data
integration and surveillance, qualitative research, human-centered design approaches, behavior change, and
childhood obesity. I am ideally suited to co...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10135919
- **Project number:** 5K01DK114383-04
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Erika Rose Cheng
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $139,614
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-06-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10135919

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10135919, Obesity Prevention in Early Life (OPEL): Risk Screening and Targeted Intervention (5K01DK114383-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10135919. Licensed CC0.

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