Carmen Samuel-Hodge
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC·Public Health & Epidemiology
Obesity is more common among Black adults than among other racial and ethnic groups in the United States, and it contributes to diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Modest weight loss through changes in diet and activity can lower these risks.
- Fields
Public Health & Epidemiology
Medicine & Clinical Research
Psychology
- Topics
obesity
weight loss
behavioral intervention
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Apr 2029
What they work on
- Identify which combination of four family-centered components (session number, in-person vs. online delivery, communication/conflict training, cohesion training) produces the most weight loss at 6 months, using the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST).
- Run an optimization trial with 256 Black adult family pairs, each made up of an index participant with obesity and an overweight family partner, all receiving a core behavioral weight loss program.
- Use Social Network Analysis to map how participants' interactions with family and non-family networks shape their diet, activity and weight loss behaviors.
- Produce an optimized family-centered weight loss program for Black adults that can be tested in a later full randomized controlled trial.
More about the research
Standard behavioral weight loss programs, however, have worked less well for Black adults, partly because they focus on the individual. Families can offer support, help with coping with stress, and shared goals, so involving family members may make these programs more effective.
Why it matters
The work could lead to a weight loss program designed for Black adults, a group with high obesity rates for whom standard programs have been less effective. Adding the most useful family-support components may help more people lose weight and lower their risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. This could help narrow obesity-related health disparities.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Rebecca Krukowski
University of Virginia, VA·Public Health & Epidemiology
Test the effect of five lifestyle components on 12-month weight loss in 608 adults taking second-generation anti-obesity medications, using a 2x2x2x2x2 factorial trial. The components are an education session, phone coaching, and digital diet, activity and weight self-monitoring.
Anna Gorczyca
University of Kansas, KS·Public Health & Epidemiology
Compare 12-month weight change in rural Kansas adults with prediabetes who receive the National Diabetes Prevention Program from Extension coaches by live group video versus an online health app.
Carmina Valle
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC·Public Health & Epidemiology
Test whether a 6-month mHealth weight-loss program tailored to adolescent and young adult cancer survivors produces greater weight loss at 6 months than a self-guided program, in a nationwide randomized trial of 240 survivors.
The school
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 72 labs on PI Pages, $1.6B a year on research, 523 research doctorates a year.
Reach out
A start for your email. Fill in the brackets.