Research Themes and Current Studies

Research Themes

  • Healthy Habits & Behavior Change: Family centered strategies designed with community input to build durable, developmentally appropriate habits.
  • Community Embedded Trials: Pragmatic trials in real-world settings—parks, schools, clinics, libraries—to maximize reach and sustainability.
  • Translation & Implementation: Moving evidence into practice through shared programs, clinical pathways, and community partner adoption.
  • Discovery Through Modeling & Data Tools: Computational and systems approaches that guide intervention design and real world delivery.

Each theme reinforces our core identity: healthy living grows through collaboration and discovery.

Current Studies

ADAPT Intervention (NIH funded)
Full Title: Adapting Evidence Based Obesity Interventions in Community Settings
Award: R01HL163437 (NHLBI), 2023–2028 — PI: Bill Heerman, MD, MPH
What it studies: A hybrid implementation effectiveness, cluster randomized trial across 50 community centers in Middle Tennessee testing whether systematically adapting a proven family based obesity intervention (COACH) improves reach, adoption, implementation, maintenance, and child BMI.
Why it matters: This is the country’s largest test of adaptation science as a strategy to reduce disparities in pediatric obesity treatment.
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06546696
 The DOSE Trial (PCORI funded)
Full Title: Dose Intensity of Behavioral Interventions for Childhood Obesity
Award: PCORI BPS 2023C1 31064, 2024–2030 — PI: Bill Heerman, MD, MPH
What it studies: A large, multisite randomized controlled trial recruiting 900 children (ages 5–17) across Tennessee and Louisiana to determine the optimal “dose” (13 vs. 16 vs. 19 vs. 22 vs. 26 hours) of intensive behavioral treatment for pediatric obesity.
Why it matters: The AAP recommends 26+ hours of contact, but this is impractical for many families. DOSE tests whether lower dose programs can be equally effective, especially for rural communities.
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06654323
Greenlight Plus Long Term Follow up (PCORI funded)
Award: PCORI AD 2018C1 112 (Follow Up Grant), 2025–2031 — PI: Bill Heerman, MD, MPH
What it studies: Follow up of 900 parent–infant dyads enrolled in the original Greenlight Plus RCT to examine long term outcomes through age 5, including anthropometrics, diet, accelerometry, and behavior patterns.
Why it matters: Provides the first long term test of literacy sensitive, IT assisted pediatric obesity prevention beginning at birth.
ClinicalTrials.gov (parent trial): NCT04042467 (Greenlight Plus)
Understanding and Addressing Food Insecurity and Obesity Among Infant Parent Dyads (NIH funded)
Award: K23DK132513 (NIDDK), 2023–2028 — PI: Colin Orr, MD, MPH
What it studies: A patient oriented research program examining how changes in food insecurity relate to parent feeding practices and child weight, and developing/pilot testing a peer parent coach intervention for use in pediatric primary care.
Why it matters: Builds foundational evidence needed to design scalable interventions that address drivers of early childhood obesity.