# Longitudinal and Momentary Associations Underlying the Relation of Food Insecurity and Gestational Weight Gain: Toward Obesity Risk Prevention

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $191,195

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Dr. Christine Call, PI of the proposed K23, is a clinical psychologist with a long-term career goal of leading a
program of research focused on promoting health equity during high-risk times for problematic eating, excess
weight gain, and obesity, such as pregnancy and postpartum (i.e., the perinatal period). To facilitate this goal,
Dr. Call’s training aims are to: (1) Develop expertise in the conceptualization and longitudinal assessment of
psychosocial and behavioral factors influencing perinatal weight, including perinatal eating, appetite, mood,
and social determinants of health (SDoH); (2) Gain hands-on experience conducting community-partnered
health equity research; and (3) Attain skills to conduct and analyze ecological momentary assessment (EMA)
studies and model longitudinal data. Training will be guided by expert mentors, including primary mentor Dr.
Michele Levine, an expert in perinatal obesity, and co-mentor Dr. Sarah Pedersen, an expert in community-
engaged health equity research and EMA. The proposed training will enable Dr. Call to conduct an innovative
study to identify psychosocial and behavioral pathways through which food insecurity predicts higher
gestational weight gain (GWG) and postpartum weight retention (PPWR). Food insecurity is a multidimensional
construct encompassing disruptions in access to food quantity and quality, psychological wellbeing, and social
acceptability related to food acquisition. Although food insecurity predicts excess GWG/PPWR, pathways
underlying the relation of food insecurity to GWG/PPWR are poorly understood. Appetitive drives, psychosocial
distress, and disinhibited eating are associated with food insecurity in non-pregnant populations. Accordingly,
using community-engaged methods, Dr. Call will enroll pregnant people at risk for food insecurity (N=100;
>50% with racial or ethnic minoritized identities) in early pregnancy and assess relationships among food
insecurity, appetitive drives, psychosocial distress, disinhibited eating, and weight in each trimester of
pregnancy and at 3-months postpartum. A subset of participants (N=50) will complete a 10-day EMA at each
timepoint to identify momentary relationships. SDoH that co-occur with food insecurity, such as discrimination,
will be assessed. In Aim 1, prospective relationships among food insecurity, appetitive drives, psychosocial
distress, disinhibited eating, and weight will be examined across pregnancy and 3-months postpartum. In Aim
2, these relationships will be tested at a daily level using EMA. Exploratory Aim 3 will examine (a) if the
dimensions of food insecurity (quantity, quality, psychological acceptability, social acceptability) differentially
predict outcomes, and (b) if relationships between food insecurity and outcomes differ by other SDoH related
to perinatal weight. Findings will provide critical data on the relationship of food insecurity to GWG/PPWR and
inform future structural and individual lev...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10885520
- **Project number:** 1K23DK136927-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Christine Call
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $191,195
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-06-01 → 2029-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10885520

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10885520, Longitudinal and Momentary Associations Underlying the Relation of Food Insecurity and Gestational Weight Gain: Toward Obesity Risk Prevention (1K23DK136927-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10885520. Licensed CC0.

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