# Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention - Community Engagement Core

> **NIH NIH P20** · ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL RES INST · 2022 · $251,884

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Factors affecting the risk of obesity prior to adulthood occur at every level of influence represented in the socio-
ecological model, with differing impact by age. Childhood obesity prevention therefore requires attention to
effects on individuals embedded in a broader context of interpersonal relationships/families, organizations and
institutions, communities, and public policy environments. Trustworthy engagement of parents and families,
early childhood and school professionals, providers, organizations, and the broader community is critical to
successful childhood obesity prevention research. An extensive body of literature exists to support such
engagement and its positive impacts on health, and specifically on childhood obesity. To advance this
approach the Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention (CCOP) proposes a new research Community
Engagement (CE) Core. The overarching goal of the CE Core is to formally institute and provide services and
activities that support Center investigators in effectively engaging communities in research to improve child
health and prevent disease. This goal will be accomplished through the following three specific aims: 1)
Develop the CCOP CE Core by establishing a seamless coordinated infrastructure to support investigators and
community partners in child health research; 2) Provide child health focused CE services to investigators
including CE Core and community consultations; community connections; and CE Core / community advising
and assistance with partnership assessment, study design, recruitment, implementation, and dissemination;
and 3) Build CE research capacity of investigators and community partners by customizing existing educational
and training programs in child health research and providing mentoring on CE for Center investigators. Kate
Stewart, MD MPH, Director, and Emily English, DrPH MPH MPS, Associate Director, will collaboratively lead
the CE Core. The CE Core will engage institutional, advocacy, and agency partners who are leading childhood
obesity prevention efforts in the state. These partners will identify research questions, increase access to
program beneficiaries, and help to translate findings and sustain interventions. The CE Core will also establish
a 15 member community advisory board (CAB) to advise the CCOP and Center funded investigators. The CAB
will include community partners from populations and geographic areas of Arkansas with the greatest
disparities from obesity and its determinants. CE Core services will include consultations; partnership
development; community review boards; recruitment support; and assistance with developing project-specific
CABs, with communication and dissemination of findings, and with evaluation of CE partnerships. The CE
Core will also provide a CE Research 101 seminar, a Dos and Don’ts of CE workshop, and training for
community members through the community scientist academy. CE Core services and training will lead to
more relev...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10474576
- **Project number:** 5P20GM109096-07
- **Recipient organization:** ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL RES INST
- **Principal Investigator:** MARY KATHRYN STEWART
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $251,884
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10474576

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10474576, Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention - Community Engagement Core (5P20GM109096-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10474576. Licensed CC0.

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