The Health Psychology lab's focus is on treating and preventing obesity in youth and adults via various behavioral approaches. Obesity is a health hazard which is steadily increasing in prevalence, and therefore has been established as a very important target for prevention research in the U.S. and the rest of the world. Not only is overweight and obesity the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., but it costs the American taxpayers an estimate of $117 million each year. Studies have found that obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from type 2 diabetes and other diseases. There is considerable need for effective methods to prevent obesity, and the Health Psychology lab at Pennington Biomedical Research Center employs cutting-edge and innovative techniques to address this challenge.

Past Projects