Understanding Factors in Infancy and Early Childhood (Birth to 24 months) That Influence Obesity Development (R01) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title and funding opportunity number for this NIH grant?

The opportunity is titled "Understanding Factors in Infancy and Early Childhood (Birth to 24 months) That Influence Obesity Development (R01)" and the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) is PAR-14-323.

What type of NIH award mechanism is this?

This FOA supports the Research Project Grant (R01) mechanism, which is intended for full research projects.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The main purpose is to fund research focused on the earliest window of life (birth through 24 months) to (1) identify and characterize early-life factors that increase risk for obesity or excessive weight gain, and/or (2) identify factors that protect against obesity or excessive weight gain. A closely related purpose is to address methodological gaps that make obesity risk difficult to measure, predict, or understand during infancy and early childhood.

What age range must the research focus on?

Projects must be centered on children from birth to 24 months (0 to 24 months). The core research questions and main study focus must clearly involve this period.

Can a study include follow-up beyond 24 months?

Yes. Follow-up assessments may extend beyond 24 months if they strengthen the science, but the primary focus and central research questions must remain anchored in the birth-to-24-month window.

What kinds of research questions does NIH want to support under this FOA?

NIH is looking for proposals that fill specific and unique research needs in the 0 to 24 month age range, rather than repeating what is already well established in older children. The FOA emphasizes early-life pathways and exposures that shape later obesity risk, as well as methods gaps specific to measuring and predicting obesity-related outcomes in infants and very young children.

What does the FOA mean by "methodological gaps" in infancy obesity research?

The announcement highlights that standard tools and definitions used in older pediatric or adult obesity research do not always translate well to infancy and early childhood. The FOA supports research that improves how obesity risk is measured, predicted, or understood during birth to 24 months, where the science can be limited by measurement and definitional challenges.

Is the research limited to biological factors, or can it include behavioral and environmental influences?

It can include biological, behavioral, and environmental pathways. The FOA notes that obesity development in infancy can involve nutrition, metabolism, developmental biology, caregiving behaviors, social determinants, and healthcare practices, often simultaneously.

Can projects examine family or caregiver factors?

Yes. The FOA explicitly makes room for research that looks beyond the child alone by examining family and caregiver factors that shape infant feeding, sleep, activity patterns, stress, and other exposures.

Are cross-disciplinary research teams encouraged?

Yes. Because the relevant pathways span multiple domains (for example, nutrition and metabolism alongside caregiving behavior and social determinants), applications are encouraged to bring in cross-disciplinary expertise matched to the research question.

Which NIH scientific areas or program categories are associated with this opportunity?

The activity areas listed include food and nutrition, health, and income security and social services. The FOA is also associated with CFDA numbers 93.847 (Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research) and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research), reflecting overlap between metabolic health and early human development.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA does not require cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants are not expected to contribute a defined amount of non-federal funding as a condition of the award.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and multiple levels of government such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts.

Are housing authorities eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly includes public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities as eligible applicants.

Are Tribal entities eligible?

Yes. Tribal eligibility includes federally recognized tribal governments as well as other tribal organizations, along with tribally controlled colleges and universities.

Are specific institution types (such as HBCUs or Hispanic-serving institutions) eligible?

Yes. The FOA highlights eligibility for institutions and organizations such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISI institutions. It also includes faith-based and community-based organizations.

Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?

Yes. International participation is allowed. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) may apply. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components are permitted as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Is this FOA currently open for new applications?

No. The FOA was posted in August 2014, with an original and final closing date of February 5, 2017, and an archive date of March 8, 2017. That means the specific announcement as written is no longer open for new submissions.

If it is archived, why might this FOA still be useful?

Even though it is no longer open, it can still serve as a reference for NIH priorities in infancy-focused obesity research, including the types of early-life factors NIH has sought to study and the methodological gaps NIH has identified for birth-to-24-month research.

Where was the full funding announcement hosted?

The full announcement was hosted by NIH on the grants.nih.gov website (via the link referenced in the source information).

Who should be contacted for access or technical issues with the online announcement?

For access or technical issues, the listed point of contact is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.