HPRC Quarterly Highlights: Q1 2025
Below we highlight our accomplishments from Q1, categorized within the four aims in which our Center is focused.
Collaborate with Partners to Identify Evidence-Based Interventions
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Prevention Research Center
As a CDC Prevention Research Center grantee for the 2024-2029 cycle, for our core research project, we are working to address significant gaps in translating evidence-based healthful eating and physical activity interventions into practice and key health promotion and disease prevention objectives in Healthy People 2030. Our implementation research project focuses on improving healthful eating and physical activity behaviors among children (0-5 years) in early childhood education settings.
This quarter, we began work on our core research project, attended the CDC PRC Week meeting in January in Atlanta, GA, and convened our Community Advisory Board again to gather their feedback on our research and discuss plans for community collaborations.
From our core research project from the last CDC PRC cycle (2019-2024), which was focused on working collaboratively with community partners at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Boston Public Health Commission to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of strategies to promote healthy eating and active living and prevent excess weight gain, we currently have a paper under review that explores the reach, cost, cost-effectiveness, and impact on weight status of a strategy to improve access to quality drinking water in school nutrition environments in Massachusetts’ schools. Learn more in our related research brief:
Participation in the Massachusetts Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network
We’re excited to be kicking off participation in the Massachusetts Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network for five years (2024-2029). Our research project aims include: 1) identifying patient-level, health center (inner) level, and outer contextual factors associated with tobacco cessation treatment delivery in health centers overall, and in patients with mental health diagnoses; 2) using mixed methods to identify barriers and facilitators to tobacco cessation treatment and map to implementation strategies; and 3) conducting an implementation study to address modifiable barriers to tobacco treatment.
CalFresh Healthy Living-CHOICES Project
We have been working with local health departments in California to select strategies to improve healthy eating and active living for modeling, using the CHOICES methods and microsimulation model. In the coming months, we will work to estimate preliminary outcomes for selected policies and programs for each of the local health agencies. We have also been be providing tailored technical assistance and training opportunities for local health agency teams on cost-effectiveness modeling and look forward to continuing to do so in Q2.
Coffee Chat Walked Through Evidence-Based OSNAP Resources for Out-of-School Time Providers
This event was part of our monthly CHOICES Community of Practice coffee chat series.
The Out-of-School Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative (OSNAP) is an evidence-based initiative that helps out-of-school time programs improve policies and practices to help kids move more and eat healthier snacks. In 2023, we refreshed the OSNAP website to better support afterschool leaders who are looking for resources and training materials to assess and improve the quality of their programs. In January, we were excited to welcome a member of our team, Dr. Rebekka Lee, to present during a coffee chat about the OSNAP website, which out-of-school time providers can use to assess how closely their program practices and policies align to the OSNAP goals and create a customized action plan to ensure healthy changes. Dr. Lee walked through the key features of the OSNAP website, specifically the MyOSNAP section, provided an in-depth overview of OSNAP resources, and also discussed how this evidence-based intervention can be implemented at the program-, city-, or state-level. Thanks to Bekka for a great presentation and to all who attended!
Promote Healthy Weight, Healthy Eating, & Active Living
Exploring the New Expert-Backed Healthy Beverage Recommendations for School-Age Children & Adolescents
This event was part of our monthly CHOICES Community of Practice coffee chat series.
In March, we were excited to have Megan Lott, Deputy Director of Healthy Eating Research at the Duke Global Health Institute, join us for a coffee chat to walk through the new expert-backed healthy beverage recommendations and share resources that can be used to provide guidance for parents, caregivers, and public health professionals. These recommendations were developed by experts convened by Healthy Eating Research from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association to guide healthier drink choices for kids ages 5 to 18. They include information about sugary and caffeinated drinks and also address other common beverage ingredients to promote better overall nutrition and health. Special thanks to Megan for an informative event and for sharing these helpful resources and to everyone who attended!
- ➡️📅 Mark your calendars: Join us for our monthly coffee chat series, typically scheduled on the fourth Thursday of each month from 1:00 – 1:50pm ET.
- ☕️💡 Got ideas brewing?! Please share your ideas and suggestions for future CHOICES Community of Practice coffee chat topics. Your input helps shape our upcoming discussions!
- 📧👥 Invite a friend! Consider inviting a colleague or partner to join our coffee chats. Share our library of past coffee chats so they can get a taste!
Our monthly coffee chats are tailored for public health professionals dedicated to promoting healthy weight, healthy eating, and active living. These sessions serve as valuable opportunities to learn and connect with others.
Offer Resources & Training Opportunities
New Resources
We continue to share a variety of new resources and peer-reviewed publications that align with our Center’s Priority Areas (healthy eating, physical activity, sugary drinks, drinking water access and intake, and unhealthy food and beverage marketing). This quarter, we published and launched the following:
- School-based nutrition education programs alone are not cost effective for preventing childhood obesity: a microsimulation study (Kenney EL, Poole MK, McCulloch SM, Barrett JL, Tucker K, Ward ZJ, Gortmaker SL, Am J Clin Nutr, January 2025) | Peer-Reviewed Publications
- A Natural Experiment to Evaluate Changes in Kids’ Meal Beverages in Fast-food Restaurants Following a Healthy Default Policy, 2019-2022 (Cradock AL, Barrett JL, Block JP, Bolton AA, Bresnahan C, Harnack L, McCulloch SM, Roberto CA, Wiant K, Moran A, JAND, March 2025) | Peer-Reviewed Publications
- Strategy Profile: Healthy Weight Clinic at Federally-Qualified Health Centers | Tools & Guides
Build Capacity for Conducting Community-Engaged Research
Five Questions with Leaders in Health Alumni
The Leaders in Health program strengthens community health initiatives through introductory training in public health research and science. The goal of Leaders in Health is to build the capacity of our community partners by providing participants with an introduction to the fundamentals of community-based participatory research, program planning, and evaluation. Participants attend interactive training sessions, complete assignments, and receive support to create an action plan to enhance their work.
We’re excited to regularly feature Leaders in Health alumni on our website to highlight the successes that they accomplished in their cohort and beyond in their daily work. Darris Jordan, Asthma Prevention & Control Program Director at the Boston Public Health Commission, participated in the 2022 Leaders in Health Cohort and answered five questions about his experience and what he’s up to now. Read the interview!
Darris Jordan
Asthma Prevention and Control Program Director
Boston Public Health Commission
Darris participated in the 2022 Leaders in Health Cohort and answered five questions about his experience and what he’s up to now. Read the interview!
