Systems-Oriented Global Childhood Obesity Intervention Program

This collaboration is accomplished through systems science guided research and intervention programs, including some ongoing projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other funding sources. 

The mission of the program is to:

• Promote innovative research on childhood obesity
• Facilitate collaboration and integration of resources and expertise in childhood obesity research from different fields and parts of the world
• Develop novel, effective and sustainable solutions to prevent childhood obesity
  
• Train young researchers, health professionals and leaders in the childhood obesity field

The program is directed by Youfa Wang, MD, MS, PhD, professor of epidemiology, environmental health and pediatrics at the School of Public Health and Health Professions and School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Key collaborators are from various institutions in multiple countries. The ongoing research projects of the program include: those based on large cohort studies; analysis of large data sets from multiple sources; school-based intervention trails; Internet-based interventions; systematic review and analysis of published research; and systems modeling supported simulation studies. 

To reach our goals, the program will focus on:

• Interdisciplinary research in multiple fields (including nutrition, epidemiology, biostatistics, medicine, health economics, engineering, systems science, environmental health, urban planning, sociology, basic science, genetics)
• Translation of cutting-edge research findings to cost-effective interventions and policies
• Training of the next-generation of researchers and public health professionals who understand and use the systems sciences and interdisciplinary approaches

National Institutes of Health

Contact us at kidsobes@buffalo.edu to learn more about the program or for more information on how to participate as a donor.