What is the Healthy Eating Research program?  

Healthy Eating Research is national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The program supports research on environmental and policy strategies with strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood obesity, especially among lower-income and racial and ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. Findings are expected to advance RWJF's efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015.

How is the program administered?

The program is directed by Mary Story, PhD, RD at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, which serves as the national program office for Healthy Eating Research. This office oversees the grant application and review processes and provides ongoing programmatic direction and technical assistance. Also on staff are Karen M. Kaphingst, MPH, deputy director; Robert Jeffery, PhD and J. Michael Oakes, PhD, senior advisers; Melissa Nelson Laska, PhD, RD, faculty research associate; Kathy Kosiak and Laura Klein, MPH, research coordinators; Lesley Schmidt Sindberg, program coordinator; and Sharanya Johnson, administrative assistant.

How can I find out more about RWJF and its childhood obesity initiatives?

Please visit the Foundation's Web site, www.rwjf.org, for more information about funding opportunities, interest areas, lessons learned from past grants and other information related to the mission and work of RWJF.

Click here to read about RWJF's initiatives related to childhood obesity.

Click here to sign up to receive future RWJF program mailings, including future funding alerts.

How can I learn more about the program besides what is provided in the Frequently Asked Questions?

You may send questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We prefer to receive questions by e-mail to facilitate forwarding your question to the appropriate staff member. However, should you wish to contact us by phone, please call (800) 578-8636.