R33HL155793
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Clinical Trial of the Fit Families Multicomponent Obesity Intervention for African American Adolescents and their Caregivers: Next Step from the ORBIT Initiative - Abstract
The alarming rates of obesity among children and adults, particularly among ethnic minorities, has been identified by the National Institutes of Health as one of the most serious public health challenges facing our nation in the 21st century.
South Carolina (SC), part of the "Stroke Belt," has the 3rd highest obesity rate among US children at 39.2% and the 12th highest obesity rate among US adults at 32.3%. Unfortunately, African Americans in SC are disproportionately more likely to be overweight or obese (75.7% of adults, 40% of children), which places them at considerable high-risk for obesity-related diseases such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and some forms of cancer.
This public health challenge is compounded by the lack of available intervention strategies specially tailored to meet the unique needs of ethnic minorities. This R01 randomized clinical trial, informed by the results from a recently completed NHLBI/NICHD Center grant ("Fit Families Project," U01HL097889; PI-Naar) that followed the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Obesity Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBIT) model for developing behavioral interventions, will examine the efficacy of Fit Families compared to a credible attention control condition.
Each of four evidence-based behavioral components of Fit Families (home-based services, contingency management, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral skills training) were culturally tailored and optimized through a proof of concept sequential multiple randomized trial that produced weight loss among African American adolescents, a large and understudied population.
One hundred and eighty obese African American adolescents aged 12-17 and their primary caregiver will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: 1) Fit Families or 2) Home-Based Family Support (HBFS) attention control condition.
It is predicted that Fit Families will lead to greater reductions in adolescent and caregiver percent overweight, and increases in physical activity and the use of evidence-based weight management behaviors (self-monitoring of diet and exercise).
If effective, Fit Families, which was carefully developed and adapted through successive phases of ORBIT, has the potential to reduce disparities in obesity-related diseases (cardiovascular and metabolic) by addressing multiple risk factors among African American families and their adolescent children.
Thus, this project has high significance in terms of potential public health impact and reduction in obesity-related healthcare costs.
The alarming rates of obesity among children and adults, particularly among ethnic minorities, has been identified by the National Institutes of Health as one of the most serious public health challenges facing our nation in the 21st century.
South Carolina (SC), part of the "Stroke Belt," has the 3rd highest obesity rate among US children at 39.2% and the 12th highest obesity rate among US adults at 32.3%. Unfortunately, African Americans in SC are disproportionately more likely to be overweight or obese (75.7% of adults, 40% of children), which places them at considerable high-risk for obesity-related diseases such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and some forms of cancer.
This public health challenge is compounded by the lack of available intervention strategies specially tailored to meet the unique needs of ethnic minorities. This R01 randomized clinical trial, informed by the results from a recently completed NHLBI/NICHD Center grant ("Fit Families Project," U01HL097889; PI-Naar) that followed the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Obesity Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBIT) model for developing behavioral interventions, will examine the efficacy of Fit Families compared to a credible attention control condition.
Each of four evidence-based behavioral components of Fit Families (home-based services, contingency management, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral skills training) were culturally tailored and optimized through a proof of concept sequential multiple randomized trial that produced weight loss among African American adolescents, a large and understudied population.
One hundred and eighty obese African American adolescents aged 12-17 and their primary caregiver will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: 1) Fit Families or 2) Home-Based Family Support (HBFS) attention control condition.
It is predicted that Fit Families will lead to greater reductions in adolescent and caregiver percent overweight, and increases in physical activity and the use of evidence-based weight management behaviors (self-monitoring of diet and exercise).
If effective, Fit Families, which was carefully developed and adapted through successive phases of ORBIT, has the potential to reduce disparities in obesity-related diseases (cardiovascular and metabolic) by addressing multiple risk factors among African American families and their adolescent children.
Thus, this project has high significance in terms of potential public health impact and reduction in obesity-related healthcare costs.
Funding Goals
TO FOSTER HEART AND VASCULAR RESEARCH IN THE BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL, CLINICAL AND POPULATION SCIENCES, AND TO FOSTER TRAINING TO BUILD TALENTED YOUNG INVESTIGATORS IN THESE AREAS, FUNDED THROUGH COMPETITIVE RESEARCH TRAINING GRANTS. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, USE SMALL BUSINESS TO MEET FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS, FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PERSONS, AND INCREASE PRIVATE-SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER THROUGH COOPERATIVE R&D BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESSES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, AND INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL R&D.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Charleston,
South Carolina
29425
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 333% from $746,364 to $3,228,784.
The Medical University Of South Carolina was awarded
Fit Families Multicomponent Obesity Intervention African American Adolescents
Project Grant R33HL155793
worth $3,228,784
from National Heart Lung and Blood Institute in May 2021 with work to be completed primarily in Charleston South Carolina United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 years and
was awarded through assistance program 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Single-Site Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 9/26/25
Period of Performance
5/1/21
Start Date
4/30/26
End Date
Funding Split
$3.2M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.2M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Subgrant Awards
Disclosed subgrants for R33HL155793
Transaction History
Modifications to R33HL155793
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
R33HL155793
SAI Number
R33HL155793-3972321766
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Public/State Controlled Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NH00 NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Funding Office
75NH00 NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Awardee UEI
NHV3GTWSALA7
Awardee CAGE
02LK0
Performance District
SC-06
Senators
Lindsey Graham
Tim Scott
Tim Scott
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0872) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $1,577,094 | 88% |
| Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0846) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $215,800 | 12% |
Modified: 9/26/25