Program Overview
Type: Vanderbilt Reinvestment Award (VRA)
Over the past three decades, obesity has risen dramatically, just recently plateauing with two thirds of adults in the United States being overweight or obese. The United States spends approximately $147 billion annually on health issues directly related to obesity, accounting for over 10% of the national healthcare budget. In addition to burgeoning health care costs, the obesity epidemic directly impacts the nation’s workforce, resulting in decreased productivity and lost wages. Without aggressive intervention, over 30% of children born in the year 2000 may go on to face serious health problems. The time for effective innovation is now and will require a trans-disciplinary approach that examines what can create real change leading to prevention and the reversal of this obesity epidemic as well as intervention to halt the rise and consequences of this condition. VIOM has been a multidisciplinary program focused primarily on stimulating collaboration among biomedical researchers. This re-investment will allow VIOM to create a nationally unique trans-institutional research center that will make Vanderbilt a world leader in this area.
Faculty Participants
Lead Faculty in bold
School of Medicine
- Roger Cone, Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Shari Barkin, Professor of Pediatrics- Ronald Clements, Professor of Surgery
- Russell Rothman, Professor of
Internal Medicine, Pediatrics & Health Policy
College of Arts & Science
- Alice Randall, Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies
- David Schlundt, Associate Professor of Psychology
Law School
- Jennifer Shinall, Assistant Professor of Law
Owen School of Graduate Management
- Kelly Haws, Associate Professor of Marketing
Peabody College
- Sharon Shields, Associate Dean for Professional Education
- Carol Nixon, Research Assistant Professor, Dept. of Human & Organizational Development