Category: Children’s Health
Dr. Erik Willis named as new Children’s Healthy Weight Research Group director
January 9, 2024Dr. Erik Willis, PhD, has been promoted to Director of the Children’s Healthy Weight Research Group at the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Dr. Willis received his Doctorate in Exer … Read more
Smith and Erinosho receives FRAC grant to study barriers of access to nutritious food in early childcare centers
January 2, 2024The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) awarded Drs. Falon Smith, PhD, MS and Temitope Erinosho, PhD a grant to understand disparities in access to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and … Read more
Murray receives $4 million to promote college readiness among high schoolers using mindfulness
December 18, 2023Dr. Desiree W. Murray, PhD, has received a grant from the US Department of Education1 to test the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning (SEL) program, called Be CALM (Cool, At … Read more
HPDP awards $5,000 planning grant to researcher studying early care and education needs in racially and ethnically minoritized communities
August 10, 2023The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention has awarded to Dr. Falon Smith, MS, PhD, a planning grant of $5,000 to conduct a research project on early care and education needs in racial … Read more
Willis Receives an R01 Grant to Assess the Accuracy of Wearable Devices to Measure Children’s Screen Time
February 2, 2023Dr. Erik Willis, PhD, and his Observations for Wellness and Learning Lab have received an R01 grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health to evaluate the accuracy of wearable devices in measurin … Read more
Murray receives $2 million to enhance resilience among middle schoolers using mindfulness
December 8, 2022Dr. Desiree W. Murray, PhD, has received a grant from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)1 to adapt a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning program, called Be CALM (Cool, Attentive, Logica … Read more
Willis wins ACSM New Investigator Award and presents preliminary research on methods to measure children’s screen time
June 17, 2022Erik Willis, PhD, a research scientist with the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP), is the recipient of a 2022 New Investigator Award from the American College of Sports Medicin … Read more
Picture warnings on sodas? A promising tool to fight childhood obesity
February 4, 2022The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) provides space and logistical support for a unique laboratory — the “UNC Mini Mart.” The Mini Mart is set up to mimic a convenience st … Read more
HPDP’s Dianne Ward, EdD, named as one of the world’s top experts in child care research
November 23, 2021HPDP’s Dianne Ward, EdD, has been recognized as a “World Expert” in child care by Expertscape, a service that ranks the expertise of researchers in biomedical fields. She is among the top 0.062% of pu … Read more
No Kid Hungry NC, Carolina Hunger Initiative support meals for children during COVID-19 school closures
July 21, 2020Nationwide, families who rely on school meals for breakfast and lunch are worried about feeding their children. In North Carolina, an organization at UNC-Chapel Hill is reducing that stress. No Kid Hu … Read more