Project Description
As a CDC-funded Prevention Research Center, the Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity’s Core Research Project is the Massachusetts-CHOICES Project.
The purpose of the Massachusetts-CHOICES Project (2019 – 2024) is to work collaboratively with community partners, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), to develop a playbook of 10-14 top strategies to promote healthy weight and study how cost-effectiveness metrics are used by partners throughout the state. This work builds off of the CHOICES Project.
This project has four key aims:
- Conduct formative research with community partners to determine the acceptability and feasibility of select cost-effective evidence-based state and local intervention strategies to reduce obesity and reduce disparities in obesity.
- Utilize a learning collaborative implementation strategy to build knowledge and self-efficacy of state and local health agency staff and community partners to employ cost, effect, population reach, cost-effectiveness, and health disparity concepts and methods.
- Gather local data with partners and develop microsimulation models to estimate cost-effectiveness and health disparity metrics for 10+ child and adult obesity intervention strategies for Massachusetts and Boston over the years 2019-2029.
- Use mixed methods to assess the adoption of selected interventions and cost-effectiveness concepts.
The lessons learned in this project will provide valuable insights for other states and cities on adoption of evidence-based obesity prevention interventions and cost-effectiveness decision-making and strategic planning. The HPRC plans to disseminate findings broadly to academic, policy, and community audiences and promote the translation of this research to achieve large-scale adoption.
Investigators: Steven Gortmaker, PhD, Angie Cradock, ScD, MPE, Rebekka Lee, ScD
Funder: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U48DP006376)
Contact: Angie Cradock
Portfolios
- Exploring the Cost-Effectiveness of Strategies to Improve Child Health in Boston, MA | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF
- Exploring the Cost-Effectiveness of Strategies to Improve Child Health in Massachusetts | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF
Research Briefs & Reports
- Research Brief: Boston, MA: Reducing Screen Time in Early Child Care Settings | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF
- Research Brief: Boston, MA: More Movement Program in Early Child Care Settings | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF
- Research Brief: Boston, MA: Home Visits to Reduce Screen Time | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF {Note: A version of this brief was published in May 2022. This brief was updated in February 2023 to reflect revised projections for Boston’s population.}
- Research Brief: Boston, MA: Movement Breaks in the Classroom | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF {Note: A version of this brief was published in May 2022. This brief was updated in August 2022 to reflect revised projections for Boston’s population.}
- Research Brief: Massachusetts: Movement Breaks in the Classroom | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF
- Research Brief: Massachusetts: Water Dispensers in Schools | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF
- Research Brief: Boston, MA: Creating Healthier Afterschool Environments (OSNAP) | View as a webpage | Download as a PDF