# Translating Efficacious Pediatric Weight Management Interventions into Rural & Micropolitan Communities

> **NIH ALLCDC U18** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $745,310

## Abstract

Abstract
There is a large body of literature regarding efficacious intervention strategies for treating
childhood obesity. Unfortunately, the degree to which efficacious programs have been
packaged for translation in micropolitan and surrounding rural areas is unclear—an important
issue when considering the prevalence of obesity is higher in rural areas when compared to
urban areas. Epstein’s Traffic Light Diet (TLD) is likely the most studied pediatric weight
management intervention (PWMI) and has demonstrated efficacy across a wide range of
randomized controlled trials in children 6-12 years of age. Building Healthy Families (BHF) is an
adaptation of the TLD and has been implemented in a Midwestern micropolitan city and
successfully achieved clinically and statistically significant reductions in child BMI z-score (-
0.27±0.22)—a similar magnitude of effect relative to previous efficacy trials. We have created
online resources for organizations interested in delivering PWMIs, training modules for related
interventions, and participant-facing program materials that could be combined into a ‘turn-key’
approach for communities interested in reducing childhood obesity to adopt, adapt and sustain it
in other micropolitan/rural communities. The primary aim is to collaboratively refine and develop
an intervention package for the BHF that includes materials necessary for others to implement
the intervention in new metropolitan/rural locations. Our second aim is to perform a rigorous,
mixed-methods pilot implementation research study using an innovative community application
process to identify 4 to 8 new communities to pilot test the utility of the packaged PWMI and
training materials while determining factors that predict adoption, implementation and
sustainability. We will also use a learning collaborative implementation strategy to improve
implementation fidelity and local context and facilitation capacity in communities interested in
delivering BHF. Our third aim is to use the pilot evaluation data and results of the sustainability
action plan to refine program and training materials and develop a dissemination plan to move
the program to other communities. Our approach will use an implementation research
explanatory process and outcome model to allow us to test hypotheses related to
implementation and sustainability, engaging community/ clinical partners in the implementation
and sustainability process, and evaluate outcomes at both the individual and organizational
level.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9899900
- **Project number:** 5U18DP006431-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Catherine Anna Heelan
- **Activity code:** U18 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $745,310
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2021-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9899900

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9899900, Translating Efficacious Pediatric Weight Management Interventions into Rural & Micropolitan Communities (5U18DP006431-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9899900. Licensed CC0.

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