# Multi-dimensional Approach to Address Excess Weight and Pre-Diabetes Health Disparities in Young Adults

> **NIH NIH U54** · NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $474,200

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract - Project 2
Obesity is a major risk factor for many of the preventable chronic diseases in the US and is a leading driver to
rising healthcare costs. Of particular concern are young adults transitioning to college as they are more prone to
weight gain compared to their peers who do not attend college. This weight gain is attributed to poor nutrition
and decreased physical activity. Further, young adults attending a Minority Serving Institution (MSI)/Historically
Black College or University (HBCU) experience several unique barriers and facilitators to health promotion
efforts. Addressing health behaviors in the university environment is an opportunity to build resiliency, capacity
and improve health literacy at a critical period in young adulthood. A comprehensive approach is essential for
examining the relationships between the social environment, the community in which a person lives and works,
the individuals' personal beliefs, and physiological factors that may influence the effectiveness of any efforts.
Additionally, leveraging digital technologies has shown success in delivering weight management interventions.
Programs report more significant effect sizes when using behavioral techniques (i.e., tailored feedback, self-
monitoring) compared to education-only internet-based interventions. Thus, to increase buy-in and sustainability,
there is a need to develop and evaluate weight loss interventions for African-American/Black (AA/B) young adults
using culturally tailored and community-based strategies. To address the barriers associated with weight control
in at-risk groups, studies have adapted the intensive Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), including a trial for
AA/Black postpartum women. BeFAB, a novel digital postpartum weight management intervention, was designed
and previously tested. The flagship BeFAB program serves overweight and obese AA women and is culturally
specific, tailored, easy to use, engaging, and branded as a trusted source. With support and consultation by the
original BeFAB MPIs, the proposed research builds on the evidence supporting BeFAB feasibility and seeks to
adapt it to a young adult population and conduct an efficacy trial. This efficacy trial will 1) integrate BeFAB-HBCU
for young adults attending an MSI in Durham, NC, and 2) evaluate its impacts on physical activity-related and
nutrition-related behavior change, weight loss, biomarkers, and stress management outcomes over 12 months.
Phase 1 of this project includes the adaption and development phase. Phase 2 consists of the implementation
and efficacy trial of the intervention. This study will establish a Community Advisory Board (CAB) and conduct a
community-environment assessment in and around the Durham, NC study site to include geo-mapping of assets
and risk factors. The trial conducted at a Durham, NC HBCU will examine effects of the BeFAB-HBCU treatment
(mHealth comprehensive intervention that includes web-based, social media, S...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10556582
- **Project number:** 2U54MD012392-06
- **Recipient organization:** NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Cherise Baldwin Harrington
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $474,200
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2017-09-20 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10556582

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10556582, Multi-dimensional Approach to Address Excess Weight and Pre-Diabetes Health Disparities in Young Adults (2U54MD012392-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10556582. Licensed CC0.

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