Research Studies

Healthy Beginnings Logo

Healthy Beginnings:

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of a multi-component lifestyle intervention that incorporates partial meal replacements into a comprehensive and nutritionally sound behavioral program to promote healthy gestational weight gain in pregnancy. The study is a collaboration with the Miriam Hospital/Warrant Alpert Medical School at Brown University and is part of a consortium of randomized clinical trials (LIFE-Moms) funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Principal Investigator: Suzanne Phelan, sphelan@calpoly.edu, 805-756-2087

Co Investigator: Todd Hagobian, thahobia@calpoly.edu, 805-756-7511

 

 

Healthy Beginnings in Partners:

The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether a lifestyle intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain in overweight/obese pregnant women has a positive “ripple” effect on the weight and health behaviors of partners and other family members in the home.  This is an ancillary study to Healthy Beginnings trial and is a collaboration with the Miriam Hospital/Warrant Alpert Medical School at Brown University and Columbia University. The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Principal Investigator: Todd Hagobianthahobia@calpoly.edu, 805-756-7511

 

Mealtime for Toddlers:

The purpose of the Mealtime for Toddlers study is to better understand maternal and toddler feeding interactions and relationships with child weight gain and risk of obesity. This is a collaboration with the Miriam Hospital/Warrant Alpert Medical School at Brown University and Temple University. The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Principal Investigator: Suzanne Phelan, sphelan@calpoly.edu, 805-756-2087

 

Fit Moms Logo

Fit Moms:

The purpose of this study is to test the long-term (12 month) efficacy of an Internet-based behavioral weight loss program tailored to low-income postpartum mothers participating in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.  This study is in collaboration with San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura county WIC and the University of North Carolina at ChapelHill. The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Principal Investigator: Suzanne Phelan, sphelan@calpoly.edu, 805-756-2087

Co Investigator: Todd Hagobian, thahobia@calpoly.edu, 805-756-7511

 

 

Partners in Health:

The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of a couples based approach to weight management during pregnancy.  Expectant couples will be randomly assigned to a standard care condition or standard care + couples based intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain in mothers and promote > 10% weight loss in partners. This study is part of the Cal Poly/French Hospital Medical Center Prevention Working Group and is jointly funded by both institutions. 

Principal Investigator: Suzanne Phelan, sphelan@calpoly.edu, 805-756-2087

 

 

Gestational Diabetes Prevention Program:

The overall purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of a pre-pregnancy lifestyle intervention to reduce the recurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus in multiethnic overweight and obese women. The study is a collaboration with the Miriam Hospital/Warrant Alpert Medical School at Brown University and is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Principal Investigator: Suzanne Phelan, sphelan@calpoly.edu, 805-756-2087

Co Investigator: Todd Hagobian, thahobia@calpoly.edu, 805-756-7511

 

Bisphenol A (BPA):

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of a 3-week intervention (vs. control) to reduce BPA exposure in women.  The intervention includes weekly face-to-face meetings to reduce BPA exposures from food, cosmetics, and other packaged products. Women are provided with BPA-free cosmetics, hygiene, glass food/water containers and daily self-monitored major sources of BPA.

Principal Investigator: Todd Hagobianthahobia@calpoly.edu, 805-756-7511

 

Bottle-Feeding Study:

The purpose of our study is to learn more about how bottle-feeding influences infant feeding. For this study, mothers and their 0-6 month old infants are asked to visit our lab at Cal Poly for three, 2-hour assessments. Both breast-milk and formula-feeding infants are included in this study. This study is a collaboration with Rutgers and Drexel Universities and is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Principal Investigator: Alison Ventura, akventur@calpoly.edu, 805-756-5693

 

Infant-Feeding Study:

The purpose of our study is to learn more about the factors that influence infant feeding behaviors. For this study, mothers and their 0-6 month old infants are asked to visit our lab at Cal Poly for two, 2-hour assessments. Both breast- and formula-feeding infants are included in this study. This study is supported, in part, by the Simms/Mann Institute.

Principal Investigator: Alison Ventura, akventur@calpoly.edu, 805-756-5693

 

Malnutrition during pregnancy in Malawi:

This study is comparing the effectiveness of 3 supplementary foods in moderately malnourished pregnant Malawian women.  Subjects will receive one of 3 food treatments: 1) a ready-to-use dairy and peanut based supplementary food which delivers about 200% of the RDA of most micronutrients in pregnancy (RUSF), 2)  fortified corn soy blend with a multiple micronutrient tablet which delivers about 200% of the RDA of most micronutrients (CSB+UNI) or 3), the standard of care which is a fortified corn soy blend flour with supplementary iron and folic acid (CSB+fefo), delivering between 0-350% of the RDA.  The primary outcomes will be malnutrition recovery rate, birth weight and birth length.  Micronutrient status, body composition and mental changes are being measured in substudies.  It is hoped that this study will show the benefits of treating moderate malnutrition in pregnancy so that international agencies and national nutrition programs can make the most appropriate choices as they strive to reach the Millennium Development Goals.  This study is in collaboration with Washington University, St Louis and Project Peanut Butter and is funded by USAID, California Agriculture Research Initiative, US Dairy Export Council, Dairy Research Initiative and Feed the Future grants.

Principal Investigator: Peggy Papathakis, ppapatha@calpoly.edu, 805-756-7205

Related Content