# A sleep and media intervention to improve adolescents weight and risk of type 2 diabetes

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2021 · $50,964

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Dr. Davis-Fobian's long-term goal is to become an independent, patient-oriented
investigator with a focus on implementing and evaluating interventions to address childhood
and adolescent obesity and prevent type 2 diabetes. Protected time provided by successful completion
of this K23 career development award will provide the foundational support necessary for achievement of this
goal. The long-term objective of this research is to establish an effective intervention
incorporating sleep to improve adolescent health and reduce obesity and risk for the
development of type 2 diabetes.
 Dr. Davis-Fobian is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alabama
at Birmingham (UAB). Her position allows her to interact with distinguished researchers on a daily basis and
provides her with the opportunity to utilize the most innovative technology. Dr. Davis-Fobian is an experienced
clinical psychologist who has extensive experience in treating obese adolescents with or at risk for type 2
diabetes. It was through these clinical experiences that Dr. Davis-Fobian realized the need for new approaches
to obesity treatments and developed her hypothesis that improving sleep may assist in adolescent weight loss
and prevention of type 2 diabetes.
 The foundation of Dr. Davis-Fobian's successful career development is the distinguished mentoring
team she has developed for her project, consisting of Drs. Barbara Gower, David Allison and Karen Gamble and
her scientific advisory panel. Their expertise complements all areas in which Dr. Davis-Fobian would benefit
from additional training. These mentors are all faculty at UAB and have a strong history of research
collaborations. Career development planned for this award includes 1) training in insulin sensitivity, beta-cell
function, chronobiology, biostatistical and clinical trials research and research ethics; 2) laboratory training in
metabolism, body composition, and chronobiology; and 3) professional skills training. These skills will be
fostered through coursework, short courses, didactic opportunities and hands-on experiences, allowing Dr.
Davis-Fobian to ultimately become a nationally recognized obesity and type 2 diabetes prevention researcher.
 The purpose of the proposed study is to assess the effects of a sleep and media use intervention on body
composition and risk for type 2 diabetes in obese adolescents aged 15-17. This will be accomplished through 2
specific aims: 1) Conduct a two-arm parallel group randomized controlled trial of the relative effects of an
intervention for adolescent sleep duration and media use on sleep duration and quality, insulin sensitivity,
appetite-regulating hormones, and body composition; and 2) Evaluate whether the sleep intervention affects
adolescents' nighttime media use at both the end of the intervention and the 3-month follow-up.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10430425
- **Project number:** 3K23DK106570-05S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Aaron D Fobian
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $50,964
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-08-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10430425

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10430425, A sleep and media intervention to improve adolescents weight and risk of type 2 diabetes (3K23DK106570-05S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10430425. Licensed CC0.

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