# Family-Oriented Diabetes Prevention:  Augmenting the Diabetes Prevention Program

> **NIH NIH K23** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $196,385

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
There is a rising burden of type 2 diabetes and associated risk factors among children, disproportionately
affecting low-income and minority communities. Addressing lifestyle-associated risk factors is an integral
component of type 2 diabetes prevention. To be most effective, efforts targeting children require caregiver
engagement and a family-oriented approach. Notably, adult caregivers could also benefit from a family-
oriented approach to promote health behavior change. To date, however, there have been few sustainable or
widespread efforts to develop family-oriented diabetes prevention programs that have multi-generational
impacts. Dr. Venkataramani is an internist and pediatrician who aspires to lead rigorous research efforts to
address this need for family-oriented diabetes prevention efforts among low-income children and adults.
She seeks to build upon her research fellowship training and unique clinical background by acquiring additional
research skills and expertise required to achieve her long-term career goal. This Mentored Patient-Oriented
Research Career Development (K23) Award will provide her with the opportunity to: 1) develop expertise in
qualitative methods (to inform intervention design and evaluation); 2) develop skills in intervention design and
development; 3) acquire skills in the design and conduct of clinical trials; 4) develop an understanding of the
principles of implementation science; and 5) engage in additional career development activities to enable her
transition to independence as a clinician-investigator.
In this K23 application, Dr. Venkataramani proposes to develop and pilot a family-oriented adaptation (FDPP)
of the National Diabetes Prevention Program’s (DPP) adult lifestyle intervention that will include
supplementary, child-related programming. Her proposal leverages the Johns Hopkins Brancati Center’s
existing infrastructure and expertise in National DPP lifestyle change program delivery to low-income
communities in Baltimore (efforts led by her co-primary mentor Dr. Nisa Maruthur). Specifically, she proposes
to: 1) develop the FDPP, informed by low-income caregivers’ preferences for program content and structure; 2)
pilot the FDPP among low-income caregivers and their children in Baltimore in a pilot randomized controlled
trial with a National DPP comparator group; and 3) further refine the FDPP by qualitatively evaluating
participant and coach experiences in the program. This work, and subsequent R01 studies, has the potential to
advance the field of diabetes prevention by developing a lifestyle intervention with multi-generational impact.
Dr. Venkataramani’s research will occur in a supportive, collaborative environment at Johns Hopkins, under the
guidance of a dedicated team of faculty mentors, led by Dr. Tina Cheng, MD, MPH and Dr. Nisa Maruthur
MD, MHS. This multidisciplinary team engages faculty across internal medicine, pediatrics and public health
who are committed to ensu...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10161775
- **Project number:** 5K23DK119581-03
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Maya Venkataramani
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $196,385
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10161775

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10161775, Family-Oriented Diabetes Prevention:  Augmenting the Diabetes Prevention Program (5K23DK119581-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10161775. Licensed CC0.

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