UAB NORC Revision Enrichment Program

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY Enhancements to the Enrichment Program of the UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center are proposed to support the overall aims of this revision application. The overall goal of the revision application is to enhance the UAB NORC?s capacity to directly contribute to research and activities with the potential to reduce the high rates of chronic diseases in the Southeastern U.S. Enrichment activities will identify, support, and disseminate research germane to personalized approaches to weight management and lifestyle modification to help reduce the burden of chronic diseases throughout communities in Southeastern U.S. The enhancements to the enrichment program will support each of three specific aims. Specific aim #1 - To enhance the capacity of the UAB NORC to develop evidence-based personalized approaches for modifying diet and exercise using multilevel behavior change strategies ? will be supported by targeting individuals with expertise in personalized approaches to lifestyle modification in our seminar series and developing workshops and roundtables to facilitate development of multidisciplinary research teams to address personalized approaches to lifestyle modification. Specific aim #2 - To evaluate evidence-based personalized strategies for modifying diet and exercise behaviors to treat obesity by conducting pragmatic research and treating patients within a new Lifestyle Medicine Clinic ? will be supported by developing educational and training materials aimed at primary healthcare providers. Specific aim #3 - To disseminate and implement best practices for modifying diet and exercise behaviors for obesity treatment to clinical and community settings throughout the Southeastern U.S. ? will be supported by identifying individuals interested in reducing obesity within existing partnerships and networks across the Southeastern U.S. and facilitating communication and collaboration within this group. We expect that the enhanced capacities of the UAB NORC resulting from this revision will 1) increase the NORC research base by fostering new collaborations across the UAB campus, 2) increase the competitiveness of UAB NORC researchers for acquiring NIH and other research funding, which is increasingly focused on personalized medicine, and 3) linking the UAB NORC with research centers with strong community connections for delivering personalized weight management strategies to diverse communities across the Southeastern U.S.