The Childhood Obesity Research and Education (CORE) group, led by Associate Professor Keith Brazendale in the Department of Health Sciences, is dedicated to advancing scientific understanding and practical solutions to prevent and treat childhood obesity. CORE’s work centers on identifying and modifying obesogenic behaviors—such as physical activity, sleep, and sedentary behavior—across both structured (in‑school) and less structured (out‑of‑school and summer) environments.

A central focus of CORE is investigating the accelerated weight gain many children experience during summer months, a persistent but largely unresolved public health challenge. To help explain this phenomenon, Associate Professor Brazendale developed and published the Structured Days Hypothesis, which posits that children tend to engage in healthier behaviors when their days follow consistent structure and routine—such as during the school year—and are more likely to adopt less health‑promoting behaviors during unstructured periods like summer vacation.

Through interdisciplinary research, behavioral measurement, and community‑engaged approaches, the CORE group seeks to:

Ultimately, CORE aims to generate impactful science that improves children’s physical, behavioral, and developmental health, while informing scalable solutions to reduce the burden of childhood obesity.