Goals and objectives
The overarching goal of the HWRN is to build research capacity that will accelerate the pace of research achieved by a consensus-driven research agenda.
Goal 1
Sustain and expand a national interdisciplinary research network that focuses on promoting healthy weight among children with ASD/DD. Objectives: (1) Sustain a Network that engages supports and promotes the work of the HWRN and its collaborating research entities (CREs); (2) Review/refine a consensus-driven research agenda that reflects the priorities of a broad constituency of stakeholders; and (3) Cultivate the next generation of researchers in ASD/DD health promotion .
Goal 2
Develop and implement research protocols that fulfill the aims of the network's research agenda. Objectives: (1) Fund 2 -3 pilot projects per year designed to incubate research ideas and protocols; (2) Conduct at least 1 secondary data analysis annually using secondary datasets and a focus on historically underserved groups to add to extant knowledge on prevalence risk factors and/or other relevant correlates of weight status in children with ASD/DD; and (3) Develop 2+ extramural. grant proposals to support the work of the HWRN.
Goal 3
Disseminate network research findings to diverse audiences. Objectives: (1) Submit 3+ papers to peer-reviewed journals annually; (2) Present HWRN research findings at national and international meetings; (3) Offer at least 2 webinars yearly on topics relevant to the HWRN research agenda as well as results from HWRN studies. d (4).Publish a monthly newsletter that includes HWRN news a compilation of the current research on weight-related topics in children with ASD/DD and funding opportunities for research in the field.
Coordination
The HWRN comprises 10 CREs with expertise in ASD/DD and/or weight status a diverse Steering Committee and a wide array of Associate Members and Subscribers. We have collaborations with several organizations including the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) programs other MCHB networks namely the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) and the Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Research Network (DBP-Net) and programs serving underserved populations such as Head Start Healthy Start SNAP WIC and Family Voices among others.
Products
15+ peer-reviewed articles; 25+ research presentations; 10 webinars;60 monthly Newsletters 10+ extramural funding application submissions; maintain HWRN website and Facebook/social media outlets.
Evaluation
Program outcomes will be assessed by the extent to which the aims of each objective have been met and through feedback from HWRN membership and constituents.
Publications
Curtin C Bandini LG Forquer M Cullen P Ranca�o KM Must A Schreck K Bowling AB Askenazy N Wei X Irish C Stanish HI. A remotely-delivered pilot and feasibility program to promote physical and food literacy in adolescents with intellectual disabilities. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2024 May;37(3):e13228. doi: 10.1111/jar.13228. PMID: 38520166; PMCID: PMC11108704.
Fleming RK Eliasziw M Dittrich GA Curtin C Maslin M Must A Bandini LG. Changes in Physical Activity Associated With a Multicomponent Weight-Loss Randomized Controlled Trial for Youth With Intellectual Disabilities. Adapt Phys Activ Q. 2023 Nov 9;41(2):287-305. doi: 10.1123/apaq.2023-0030. PMID: 37944510.
Helsel BC Foster RNS Sherman J Ptomey LT Montgomery RN Washburn RA Donnelly JE. A Remotely Delivered Yoga Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Feasibility and Effectiveness for Improving Skills Related to Physical Activity. J Autism Dev Disord. 2023 Oct;53(10):3958-3967. doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05702-z. Epub 2022 Aug 8. PMID: 35939186; PMCID: PMC10124171.
Must A Curtin C Bowling A Broder-Fingert S and Bandini LG (2023) Editorial: Weight-related behaviors and outcomes in children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Front. Pediatr. 11:1295630. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1295630.
Helsel BC Foster RNS Sherman J Steele R Ptomey LT Montgomery R Washburn RA Donnelly JE. The Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey: Comparisons with Obesity and Physical Activity in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2023 Jan;53(1):89-95. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05415-9. Epub 2022 Jan 4. PMID: 34982325; PMCID: PMC9940245.
Hatfield DP Must A Kennedy W Staiano AE Slavet J Sabelli RA Curtin C Bandini LG Nauta P Stuetzle C and Bowling AB (2023) GamerFit-ASD beta test: adapting an evidence-based exergaming and telehealth coaching intervention for autistic youth. Front. Pediatr. 11:1198000. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1198000
Ptomey LT Oreskovic NM Hendrix JA Nichols D Agiovlasitis S. Weight management recommendations for youth with Down syndrome: Expert recommendations. Front Pediatr. 2023 Feb 3;10:1064108. doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.1064108. PMID: 36819200; PMCID: PMC9937587.
Hyman SL Bandini LG Must A Curtin C. (In Press) Nutrition and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities In Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease 12th ed (C. Ross K. Tucker C. Duggan G. Jensen R. Touger-Decker K. Peterson eds). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Must A Eliasziw M Bowling A Maga�a S Stanish H Bandini L Curtin C Kral TVE. Relationship Between Childhood Obesity and Autism Spectrum Disorder Varies by Child's Age and Parents' Weight Status in a Sample of Sibling Dyads. Child Obes. 2023 Jul;19(5):309-315. doi: 10.1089/chi.2022.0064. Epub 2022 Aug 22. PMID: 35994016.
Maga�a S Eliasziw M Bowling A Must A. Racial and ethnic disparities in obesity and contributions of social determinants of health among boys with autism spectrum disorder. Front Pediatr. 2023 Jul 11;11:1198073. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1198073. PMID: 37497299; PMCID: PMC10366372.
Must A Eliasziw M Stanish H Curtin C Bandini LG Bowling A. Passive and social screen time in children with autism and in association with obesity. Front Pediatr. 2023 Jul 10;11:1198033. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1198033. PMID: 37492602; PMCID: PMC10364473.
Maga�a S Errisuriz VL Yu AP Heydaria N Zeng W Mirza M Vanegas S Brown S Parra-Medina D Suarez-Balcazar Y. Associations between parenting strategies and BMI percentile among Latino children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Front Pediatr. 2023 Jul 27;11:1189686. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1189686. PMID: 37576140; PMCID: PMC10413978.