Past Studies

The following studies have been completed; information about the study outcomes can be found on our publications page, or by contacting Brian Saelens, PhD, at 206-884-8247.

COMPASS

Seattle Children's, the University of Washington and Washington University in St. Louis conducted a research study, the Comprehensive Maintenance Program to Achieve Sustained Success (COMPASS), to learn more about the best type of treatment for long-term weight management in overweight children and their families. The goal was to better understand the relationship between duration of treatment and long-term maintenance of healthy behavior changes.

EPICH and Parent Partnership

Engaging Parents in Child Health (EPICH) was funded by the Safeway Foundation. The goal was to better understand how families can help each other make better eating and activity choices that result in better weight management.

The Parent Partnership Project was a research study funded by the National Institutes of Health and builds on previous studies of pediatric behavioral weight management. The goal was to determine if parents who previously received treatment can provide a similar level of care compared to professional interventionists.

FOCUS

Seattle Children's conducted a research study, the Familial Overweight: Comparing Use of Strategies (FOCUS) project, to learn more about how to help children and families struggling with overweight make better eating and activity choices that result in better weight management. The goal was to better understand different ways that might help families start and maintain healthy eating and activity behaviors.

ADVANCE

More than 1 in 7 children in the U.S. is overweight. This study aimed to determine whether increasing the emphasis and behavorial skill use around physical activities in family-based obesity intervention can help children and parents reach the goal of 90+ minutes of physical activity on most days of the week.

NIK

Where children live can have short- and long-term impacts on their growth and development. This study aimed to understand more about how neighborhood environments are related to 6- to 11-year-old children's well-being, including their eating and physical activity.

NQLS-Seniors

The Neighborhood Quality of Life Study for Seniors (NQLS-Seniors) was conducted to learn more about how important the environment is to the quality of life in seniors. Two research sites (San Diego and Stanford University) have combined efforts to study neighborhoods in two areas: Baltimore County, Maryland, and King County, Washington. We worked with residents in these cities to learn more about their everyday living environment.

Nutrition Labeling Project

A new law requiring the posting of nutrition information in chain food establishments went to effect in King County on January 1, 2009. This law is just one of many steps that policy makers in King County have taken in an effort to address the increasing rates of obesity in children and adults in King County. Investigators at Seattle Children's worked closely with Public Health – Seattle and King County to assess how different restaurants are implementing the law, any changes in menu labeling over time, and the related impact on consumer purchasing choices.

Eating Out Study

This study was done to understand the food choices children and their parents make at restaurants. We also wanted to understand what impacts those choices had and how they might change over time.

TEAN

Seattle Children's and San Diego State University conducted a research study to learn more about how an adolescent's neighborhood relates to their activity, where they go and their overall well-being. The Teen Environment and Neighborhood (TEAN) Study was conducted in Baltimore County, Maryland, and King County, Washington. The goal was to better understand how where people live influences their health-related behaviors.

TRAC

Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington conducted a research study, the Travel Assessment and Community (TRAC) Project, to learn more about how a person's neighborhood relates to their activity, where they go and their overall well-being. The goal was to better understand the relationship between where people live and their overall health.