The goal of this R61/R33 project is to evaluate an adapted healthy lifestyle program, HomeGrown, specifically tailored for families of young children with Down syndrome for its feasibility (R61 Phase) and efficacy (R33 Phase) in improving practices around healthy eating and physical activity.  

Principal Investigator: Dr. Erik Willis, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Co-Investigator: Dr. Michaela Schenkelberg (PI of UNO Subaward)

Funding: This project is supported by the National Institute of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD (1R61HD118439-01).

Recruiting Status: Ongoing 

Related Publications and Presentations

1. Clarke, E, Tchoua, PP, Thompson, K, Wasser, H, Agrawal, S, Schenkelberg, MA, de Oliveira, S, Willis, EA (2025). Nutrition practices reported by families of children with Down syndrome, Autism, and without an intellectual or developmental disability. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published online November 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.10.009

2. Schenkelberg, MA, Wasser, H, Clarke, E, Agrawal, S, Tchoua, P, Thompson, K, Hales, D, Willis, E (2025). Feasibility of a protocol measuring physical activity, diet, and sleep behaviors of young children with Down syndrome. Accepted for oral presentation at the International Conference on Diet and Activity Methods. Toronto, Canada. April 2025.

3. Schenkelberg, MA, Hales, D, Wasser, H, Clarke, E, Agrawal, S, Tchoua, PP, Thompson, K, Willis, EA (2025, May). An exploratory study of time-segmented patterns of physical activity among young children with Down syndrome. Poster submitted to the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. May 2025.

4. Willis, EA, Clarke, C, Schenkelberg, MA, Agrawal, S, Thompson, KL, Tchoua, PP, Wasser, H (2025, May). Developing a tailored healthy lifestyle intervention for families of young children with Down syndrome. Poster submitted to the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. May 2025.

5. Tchoua, P, Clarke, E, Wasser, H, Agrawal, S, Scothorn, R, Thompson, K, Schenkelberg, MA, Willis, EA. (2025) The influence of social determinants of health, health behaviors, and child’s intellectual developmental diagnosis. Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1249/TJX.0000000000000295

6. Thompson, K, Clarke, E, Wasser, H, Schenkelberg, MA, Agrawal, S, Willis, E (2024). Complementary feeding practices of caregivers of infants with Down syndrome as compared to typically developing infants. Appetite, 198, p. 107356. DOI: https://doi-org.leo.lib.unomaha.edu/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107356  

7. Schenkelberg, MA, Clarke, EC, Wasser, H, Ward, DS, Essenmacher, MM, Thompson, KL, Willis, EA (2023). A call for obesity prevention interventions for young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Translational Behavioral Medicine. Available online: July 13, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibad043.

In this study, we will examine the effects of an iterative, quality improvement and feedback intervention on participation rates and disparities in Special Olympics programs. 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michaela Schenkelberg

Primary Mentor: Dr. David Dzewaltowski, UNMC

Funding: This project is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, U54 GM115458 which funds the Great Plains IDeA-CTR Network.

Recruiting Status: Ongoing 

Related Publications and Presentations

1. Schenkelberg, MA, Helsel, B, Ptomey, L. (2023, May). Physical activity clinical trials and community-based interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Tutorial Lecture at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. Denver, CO.

This study aims to investigate the reach of Special Olympics sports programs on Nebraska children and young adults (ages 3 - 21 years) with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to identify disparities in participation. 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michaela Schenkelberg

Primary Mentor: Dr. David Dzewaltowski, UNMC

Funding: This project is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, U54 GM115458 which funds the Great Plains IDeA-CTR Network.

Recruiting Status: N/A 

Related Publications and Presentations

1. Schenkelberg, MA, Helsel, B, Ptomey, L. (2023, May). Physical activity clinical trials and community-based interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Tutorial Lecture at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. Denver, CO.

This study aims to explore methods for measuring healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors of young children ages 2-6 years old with Down syndrome.  Parents and caregivers will be asked to complete a brief eligibility survey which will take less than 5 minutes to complete. If they are eligible, then children with Down syndrome will wear a small device on their non-dominant wrist (similar to a watch) to measure physical activity for seven consecutive days. Parents will be asked to complete two dietary recalls that will take approximately 35 minutes each. At the end of the study period, parents will complete a brief structured interview, about 30 minutes long, to share their feedback about the physical activity device and dietary recalls. 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Michaela Schenkelberg

Funding: This study was supported by the University of Nebraska at Omaha's University Committee on Research and Creative Activity Mini Grant

Recruiting Status: Closed 7/31/2024

Related Publications and Presentations

1. Schenkelberg, MA,Wasser, H, Clarke, E, Agrawal, S, Tchoua, P, Thompson, K, Hales, D, Willis, E. (2025) Feasibility of a protocol measuring physical activity, diet, and sleep behaviors of young children with Down syndrome. Submitted for oral presentation at the International Conference on Diet and Activity Methods. Toronto, CA. April 2025.   *Finalist for the Early Career Researcher Oral Award

2. Wasser, H, Clarke, E, Agrawal, S, Tchoua, P, Thompson, K, Willis, E, Schenkelberg, MA. (2025) Overall diet quality and food group intakes among preschool-aged children with Down syndrome: Implications for obesity preventions. Submitted for oral presentation at the International Conference on Diet and Activity Methods. Toronto, CA. April 2025.   

This study aims to: 1) explore individual, relational, communal, and societal factors that enable or inhibit the participation in physical activity among young adults with IDDs. 2) Explore perceived community opportunities for PA and active recreation among young adults with IDDs 

Principal Investigator: Cynthia Lujan (Master's Student Thesis)

Primary Mentor: Dr. Michaela Schenkelberg

Funding: N/A

Recruiting Status: Closed

Related Publications and Presentations (* denotes graduate student mentee) 

1. Schenkelberg, MA, Lujan, C*, Schulke, M*, Leader Janssen, E, Dinkel, D, Messerole, M (2024, May). Perceived access to physical activity opportunities among young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Oral presentation for the 2024 Annual Meeting of the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Omaha, NE.