Developmental Trajectories of Reinforcer Pathology and Childhood Obesity

This observational study is following two groups of children aged 8 to 12 over three years to understand how food preferences, physical activity, decision-making, and body weight change over time, and whether these patterns are linked to the development of childhood obesity. The focus is on understanding the psychological and behavioral factors — not just diet — that may drive weight gain in children. You may be eligible if your child is between 8 and 12 years old, comes from a low-income or BIPOC/Hispanic family, is in the overweight or obese range, and does not have a medical condition causing obesity. Participation involves completing assessments about food preferences, activity levels, and health at multiple points over 3 years. This summary was prepared using AI to help patients understand this research.