How Summer Students Unraveled Early Weight Gain Mysteries
Understanding the invisible communities of microbes in infant guts and their connection to childhood health outcomes through innovative research at the STRONG Children's Research Center.
Imagine two families, each with a newborn. One child grows steadily along the health chart; the other begins gaining weight too quickly within months. The difference might trace back to invisible communities of microbes in their guts, the way parents respond to cries, or even the timing of their first solid foods. Understanding these interconnected factors—from cellular to societal—is crucial to addressing childhood obesity, a condition affecting 17% of American youth 5 .
For over three decades, the Strong Children's Research Center (SCRC) has leveraged an ingenious approach: pairing seasoned scientists with bright students during summer internships to tackle these complex questions. In the summer of 2013, a new cohort of research scholars arrived in Rochester, joining a long-running "cells-to-society" investigation. These young minds didn't just observe; they analyzed data, handled biological samples, and helped decode the intricate ballet of biology and environment that shapes a child's health trajectory. This is the story of how such summer programs turn curious students into scientific detectives, uncovering secrets hidden in plain sight.
The SCRC's summer training program is no ordinary internship. For ten weeks, undergraduate and medical students immerse themselves in a mentored research project, gaining hands-on experience in biomedical and clinical research 7 . The 2013 scholars contributed to a particularly ambitious project: the STRONG Kids 2 (SK2) birth cohort study.
Genetics & Microbiome
Temperament & Development
Household Habits & Practices
External Programs & Systems
| Level of Influence | Research Focus | Examples of Data Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Cell (Biology) | Genetics & Microbiome | Stool samples for microbiome analysis, saliva for DNA, breast milk samples |
| Child (Behavior) | Temperament & Development | Child sleep characteristics, executive function, emotional reactivity |
| Clan (Family) | Household Habits & Practices | Family mealtime routines, parental feeding styles, media use, response to emotions |
| Community (Environment) | External Programs & Systems | Type of childcare, timing of entry into childcare, meals provided in programs |
The central methodology of the SK2 study was the prospective birth cohort design. Researchers began tracking families during pregnancy, before any outcomes were visible, to identify true predictors rather than just correlations. The 2013 summer scholars would have worked with data and samples from this growing cohort.
Mother-Child Pairs
College-Educated Mothers
Non-Hispanic White
Recruitment excluded premature births or conditions affecting normal feeding, creating a relatively healthy starting sample. The final cohort included 468 mother-child pairs, predominantly highly educated (72.9% of mothers held college or postgraduate degrees), non-single (88.5%), and non-Hispanic white (76.1%) 5 . This demographic profile is important context, showing the study's limitations in representing the full diversity of the population.
The step-by-step process for gathering this rich dataset was extensive:
Pregnant women in their third trimester were recruited from healthcare facilities in east-central Illinois. Initial data on maternal health, diet, and intentions to breastfeed were established 5 .
Researchers conducted follow-up visits when the children reached 6 weeks, 3 months, and 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months old. At each stage, they gathered:
This is where the summer scholars' work was crucial. They likely assisted in the painstaking task of organizing, entering, and performing initial analysis on this avalanche of multi-level data.
| Characteristic | Category | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Prepregnancy Weight Status | Normal Weight | 50.6% |
| Overweight | 24.2% | |
| Obese | 25.2% | |
| Education Level | College Graduate/Postgraduate | 72.9% |
| Some College/Technical School | 18.8% | |
| High School or Less | 6.8% | |
| Household Monthly Income | ≤ $3,000 | 29.3% |
| $3,001 - $5,000 | 26.3% | |
| ≥ $5,001 | 33.1% |
For the summer scholars, the project was a hands-on introduction to the tools of modern pediatric research. Beyond surveys and measuring tapes, they encountered a suite of specialized biological and methodological "reagents" essential for the study's goals.
| Research Tool | Primary Function in the Study |
|---|---|
| Stool Sample Collection Kits | Enabled families to collect infant stool for analysis of the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in the digestive system). |
| Saliva DNA Collection Kits | Non-invasive method to obtain a child's DNA for genetic analysis, looking for variations associated with weight and appetite regulation. |
| 16S Ribosomal RNA Sequencing | A technique used to identify and characterize the diverse types of bacteria present in the gut microbiome samples. |
| Bioecological Model | The core theoretical framework guiding the research, ensuring data was collected from multiple interacting levels (cell, child, clan, community). |
| Longitudinal Statistical Models | Advanced analytical methods to track how small effects at each level interact over time to influence a child's weight trajectory. |
While the full findings unfolded over years, early data points available in the 2013 period revealed compelling patterns. By just 6 weeks of age, a significant number of infants were already on concerning weight trajectories, with 32.9% classified as overweight and 31.4% as obese based on direct measurement 5 .
This highlighted that risk factors for unhealthy weight gain can operate from the very beginning of life. Furthermore, the research began to show that no single factor was to blame. Instead, the combination of factors—such as a specific genetic makeup in a child exposed to certain feeding practices—created the highest risk, perfectly illustrating the need for the "cells-to-society" model.
The work done by the 2013 SCRC summer scholars and their colleagues extended far beyond that single season. The SK2 study provided critical insights, such as the revelation that a combination of four household routines—regular mealtimes, sufficient sleep, limited media use, and no TV during meals—was more powerful than any single routine in predicting a child's consumption of fruits and vegetables 5 .
The legacy of this research continues to inform pediatricians and public health officials, helping shape guidance for parents on everything from breastfeeding and introducing solid foods to establishing healthy household routines.
For the student scholars, the experience was transformative. As the program directors note, participants develop fundamental research skills, present their findings at a professional poster session, and often become co-authors on published manuscripts 7 .
The program is designed to foster interest in academic medicine, pediatrics, and research careers, creating a pipeline of scientists equipped to solve the next generation of child health challenges 7 .
The story of the 2013 research scholars is a powerful reminder that tackling complex health issues like childhood obesity requires a collaborative, multi-level approach. By looking through a microscope at gut bacteria one day and analyzing family surveys the next, these students embodied the "cells-to-society" philosophy, contributing to a scientific legacy that helps all children grow into their healthiest possible futures.