Division of General Academic Pediatrics

The Division of General Academic Pediatrics is an internationally known academic research division dedicated to improving the health of children and adolescents.

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Learn more about completed research projects at the Division of General Academic Pediatrics at Mass General for Children.

Mass in Motion Kids logo

Mass in Motion Kids (Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Project)

  • Whole-of-community intervention to prevent obesity among children 2-12 years of age
  • Collaboration with Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, and the National Initiative for Children’s Health Care Quality
  • Strategies include intervention across multiple sectors including health care, child care, elementary & middle school, after-school, and the broader community
Star logo

STAR (Study of Technology to Accelerate Research)

  • Cluster-randomized controlled trial (14 pediatric practices in Massachusetts) to accelerate adoption of childhood obesity comparative effectiveness research evidence among clinicians and parents
  • Intervention strategies included electronic decision support tools for clinicians, health coaching support for parents through telephone and text message
Healthy Habits Healthy Homes logo

Healthy Habits, Happy Homes

  • Randomized controlled trial to improve household routines to prevent obesity among 2-6 year old, low-income, inner-city children
  • Intervention strategies included home visits, telephone coaching, text messages, home environmental changes, and parent education and support
First Steps Mommy and Me logo

First Steps for Mommy and Me

  • Intervention to promote healthful eating and physical activity among postpartum moms and their infants
  • Recruited mother-infant pairs in first week postpartum from 3 pediatric practices in Massachusetts
  • Intervention strategies included brief, focused negotiation by clinicians, telephone coaching calls with a health coach, and educational material
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Secrets of Success

  • Qualitative study funded by Harvard Catalyst and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute to explore strategies to reduce BMI in patients ages 6-13 who have succeeded in doing so from neighborhoods with high obesity prevalence
  • Conducting parent and child focus groups and parent interviews

CENTURY

  • NICHD-funded study that aims to create a dataset of 215,000 children by linking Massachusetts birth certificates to an electronic database of well-child visits with the goal of identifying pre- and post-birth risk factors for disparities in childhood obesity.