childobesity180

What childobesity180 does

ChildObesity180 is a nonprofit research initiative housed within Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, founded in 2009 with a stated mission of preventing childhood obesity through evidence-based, multi-sector interventions. The initiative operates from Boston, MA, and is led by Dr. Christina Economos alongside a team of roughly 20 faculty, postdoctoral fellows, doctoral trainees, and staff. Its programmatic portfolio spans large-scale behavioral interventions in schools and community settings, including the Catalyzing Communities initiative and the B-'N Fit and BALANCE programs, alongside nutrition policy and equity research. To date, its programs have reached more than 12 million children across all 50 states in their first phase of deployment.

The initiative's technology stack centers on two proprietary platforms: i-DINE, a digital imaging system that uses computer vision and machine learning algorithms to convert smartphone food photographs into nutrient intake estimates, and Data for All, a community-facing data platform designed to aggregate and share local-level nutrition and obesity data with researchers and community stakeholders. ChildObesity180 also applies systems science methodologies, including computational simulation tools, to model the impact of multi-level interventions on population health outcomes. The initiative has produced more than 300 peer-reviewed publications underpinning its intervention models.

ChildObesity180's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding is sourced from federal cooperative agreements (notably USDA), foundation grants (including JPB Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and The Boston Foundation), and philanthropic donations channeled through Tufts University. Dr. Economos has raised more than $55 million in cumulative research support. The initiative monetizes its expertise through research deliverables, programmatic consulting, and technology tools like i-DINE and Data for All, with indirect cost recovery on grants supplementing direct funding.

Name

childobesity180

Legal name

ChildObesity180

Website

https://childobesity180.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Research and Childhood Obesity Prevention Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDACAMAF

Obesity Prevention & Healthy Lifestyle Programs (Early Years)

Education/Early Childhood Education/Health and Nutrition Programs for Young Children

SECONDARYBPADAJAD

School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Food Security & Nutrition Programs

SECONDARYHSADAFAL

Pediatric & Family Nutrition

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Nutrition Coaching & Weight Management

SECONDARYEDACAMAA

Child Nutrition & Meal Programs (CACFP/Snack Programs)

Education/Early Childhood Education/Health and Nutrition Programs for Young Children

Keywords

• Childhood obesity prevention
• Community health research
• Nutrition intervention programs
• Public health partnerships
• School physical activity

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Government Grants: Primary funding from foundations (The JPB Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Boston Foundation, etc.) and government agencies (USDA, NIH/NCI, NIH/NHLBI) through competitive grant processes
2. Federal Government Cooperative Agreements: Cooperative agreements with federal agencies such as USDA Food and Nutrition Service and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture supporting specific research initiatives like THIS-WIC
3. Private Sector Partnerships: Funding from private sector partners including The Walmart Foundation, New Balance Foundation, Partnership for a Healthier America for specific programmatic work
4. Individual Philanthropy: Support from individual donors and alumni relations through development activities

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ChildObesity180 is a nonprofit research initiative at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy that develops, evaluates, and scales evidence-based interventions to prevent childhood obesity. Its portfolio includes community-based research initiatives, social marketing campaigns (You're the Mom), school and out-of-school-time programs (HKOS, ASAP, Boston Run Clubs), telehealth innovations for federal nutrition programs (THIS-WIC), and technology platforms for dietary assessment (i-DINE) and community data analytics (Data for All).

Product overview

ChildObesity180 operates as a research and intervention organization rather than a commercial product company. Its portfolio consists of community-based research initiatives and programs focused on childhood obesity prevention. The core offerings include Catalyzing Communities (a whole-of-community approach using systems science methods), Healthy Kids Out of School (HKOS, promoting healthy behaviors in out-of-school settings), and various other initiatives like You're the Mom (social marketing campaign), Boston Run Clubs, Active Schools Acceleration Project (ASAP), Breakfast Initiative, and Restaurant Initiative. Technology-focused projects include THIS-WIC (telehealth for WIC), i-DINE (digital imaging for nutrient evaluation), and Data for All (community data platform). These initiatives employ research-based approaches but are not commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Catalyzing Communities A research-based, whole-of-community approach to reducing disparities and preventing childhood obesity that engages community coalitions through stakeholder-driven community diffusion processes, group model building, social network mapping, and agent-based modeling to design and implement evidence-based solutions for children and families.
• Healthy Kids Out of School (HKOS) A program promoting healthy eating and physical activity in out-of-school-time programs through three guiding principles (Drink Right, Move More, Snack Smart) and a curriculum of nutrition and physical activity lesson plans, adopted by national OST organizations including Boy Scouts of America, 4-H, YMCA, and Girl Scouts.
• You're the Mom A social marketing campaign empowering mothers to make healthier choices for their children when eating out, shopping for groceries, and serving meals at home, with content distributed via social media and partner channels.
• Boston Run Clubs A program helping PE teachers, classroom educators, after-school program staff, and parents start free walking/running clubs at public schools and community centers across Boston neighborhoods to increase children's physical activity.
• Active Schools Acceleration Project (ASAP) An initiative to increase quality physical activity in schools through crowdsourced innovation competitions, replication of high-impact programs, and the Billion Mile Race, reaching millions of children and thousands of schools nationwide.
• Breakfast Initiative A research program examining how to best deliver healthy school breakfast and the impact of models such as Breakfast in the Classroom on attendance, weight status, and academic outcomes.
• The Restaurant Initiative A research portfolio aimed at reducing children's excess calorie consumption in restaurants by developing evidence for improving the nutritional quality of children's menu options and informing strategic direction on dining-out behavior change.
• Telehealth Intervention Strategies for WIC (THIS-WIC) A USDA cooperative agreement to test and evaluate telehealth innovations for delivering the WIC program, developing technology to improve nutrition education for pregnant women and caregivers of young children.
• Supporting Physical Literacy at School and Home (SPLASH) A five-year research study designed to increase children's physical literacy and daily physical activity through a multilevel program combining a school-based curriculum with family engagement components, in partnership with New York Road Runners.
• Delta GREENS Food is Medicine Project A collaborative research-driven initiative in the Mississippi Delta designed to tackle health disparities, improve nutrition, and promote economic opportunity through a produce prescription program.
• i-DINE: Improving Digital Imaging for Nutrient Evaluation A research technology platform integrating nutrition science, computer science, and engineering that uses video of food consumption and algorithms to estimate dietary intake without requiring manual data entry.
• Data for All A project developing a technological platform to help communities generate, integrate, analyze, share, interpret, and communicate their own data for health improvement purposes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 12 million+ children across all 50 states with obesity prevention programming
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

46 partnerships are on record, tiered community partner, core, research collaborator, key implementation partner, implementation partner, national partner, public health partner, healthcare partner, key community partner, key program partner, foundational program and existing community partner.

• Catalyzing Communities - Chicago IL Coalitioncommunity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021New community partnership announced in 2021 cohort, based in Chicago, IL
• Catalyzing Communities - Worcester MA Coalitioncommunity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021New community partnership announced in 2021 cohort, based in Worcester, MA
• Catalyzing Communities - Harris County TX Coalitioncommunity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021New community partnership announced in 2021 cohort, based in Harris County, TX
• Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science & PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution providing organizational infrastructure, faculty support, and institutional resources
• Boston College School of Social Workresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner for obesity prevention studies
• The Brookings Institutionresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy research partner for obesity and public health research
• The Council on Black Healthresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner focused on health disparities and Black community health
• Furman Universityresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner for obesity prevention research
• The Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts Universityresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNutrition research partnership with Tufts University's USDA research center
• Merrimack Collegeresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for collaborative research
• Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington Universityresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic health research collaboration
• Medical College of Wisconsinresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical research partnership for obesity and health research
• Old Dominion Universityresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner
• Public Health Institute of Western Massachusettskey implementation partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on R.O.A.D.S. Study and community health initiatives in Western Massachusetts
• Purdue Universityresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership for obesity prevention
• RTI Internationalresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute partnership for public health research
• Tufts Medical Centerresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical research partnership through Tufts University affiliated medical center
• Tufts University School of Engineeringresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering collaboration for Data for All project and technology development
• Tufts University School of Medicineresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical school partnership for interdisciplinary research
• Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicineresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for pet-obesity research and child-pet physical activity interventions
• University of Massachusetts, Amherstresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partnership
• The University of Arizona Health Sciencesresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth sciences research collaboration
• University of California, Davisresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partnership for nutrition and health research
• University of Wisconsin – Madisonresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partnership
• Washington University in St. Louisresearch collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity research partnership
• Activate Tucsonimplementation partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity implementation partner in Tucson, AZ for Catalyzing Communities initiative
• America's Promise Alliancenational partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership through Every School Healthy campaign and cross-sector child health initiatives
• Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcestercommunity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity coalition partner in Worcester, MA for Catalyzing Communities
• Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Childrencommunity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChicago-based implementation partner for obesity prevention initiatives
• Cuyahoga County Board of Healthpublic health partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPublic health implementation partner in Cuyahoga County, OH for community health initiatives
• Early Ages Healthy Stagesimplementation partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEarly childhood health implementation partner
• East Boston Neighborhood Health Centerhealthcare partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHealthcare implementation partner in East Boston for community health programs
• Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborativecommunity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity wellness collaborative in Chicago's Garfield Park neighborhood
• Harlem Children's Zonekey implementation partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Healthy Ways Replication program to replicate evidence-based obesity prevention in new communities
• healthTideimplementation partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHealth technology implementation partner
• Healthy Living Mattersimplementation partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity health initiative implementation partner
• LiveWell Greenvillekey community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity wellness partner in Greenville, SC and partner for R.O.A.D.S. Study with LiveWellSpringfield
• Milwaukee County Organizations Promoting Preventioncommunity partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoalition partner in Milwaukee, WI for community health initiatives
• New York Road Runnerskey program partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for SPLASH study ($1.3M NIH grant) enhancing Rising New York Road Runners program with family-engagement component
• Shape Up Somervillefoundational programImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOriginal community-based obesity prevention program that became a model for ChildObesity180's approach
• Catalyzing Communities - Cuyahoga County OH Coalitionexisting community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExisting Catalyzing Communities partner coalition in Cuyahoga County, OH
• Catalyzing Communities - East Boston MA Coalitionexisting community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExisting Catalyzing Communities partner coalition in East Boston, MA
• Catalyzing Communities - Greenville SC Coalitionexisting community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExisting Catalyzing Communities partner coalition in Greenville, SC
• Catalyzing Communities - Tucson AZ Coalitionexisting community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExisting Catalyzing Communities partner coalition in Tucson, AZ
• Catalyzing Communities - Milwaukee WI Coalitionexisting community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExisting Catalyzing Communities partner coalition in Milwaukee, WI
• Catalyzing Communities - Harlem NY Coalitionexisting community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExisting Catalyzing Communities partner coalition in Harlem, NY

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Healthy Schools Campaign: National nonprofit focused on healthy school environments, particularly school food, physical activity, and wellness policies. Operates in overlapping policy and advocacy territory with ChildObesity180's school work.
• Action for Healthy Kids: National nonprofit mobilizing school-based programs to promote healthy eating and physical activity for children. Highly comparable mission, K-12 school focus, and partnership-driven delivery model.
• Alliance for a Healthier Generation: National nonprofit working with schools and youth-serving organizations to create healthier environments for children. Comparable scope (schools, OST, communities), funder base, and childhood obesity prevention mission.
• Partnership for a Healthier America: Nonprofit focused on ending childhood obesity through commitments from the private sector, with whom ChildObesity180 has directly collaborated on the Healthier Campus Initiative evaluation. Operates in the same policy/systems change arena.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Largest US philanthropy focused on health, including a long-running childhood obesity portfolio and Healthy Eating Research program. Comparable as a major funder, research convener, and thought leader in the same childhood obesity prevention space.
• Nemours Children's Health: Integrated pediatric health system with a national children's health promotion and obesity prevention portfolio. Comparable breadth of childhood obesity research and policy work, with broader clinical delivery footprint.
• American Heart Association: Large national nonprofit with substantial investment in childhood obesity, nutrition policy, and physical activity research. Comparable as a research funder, convener, and evidence disseminator in childhood cardiovascular and obesity health.

Emerging players

• FoodCorps: National nonprofit connecting children to healthy food in schools through service members; ChildObesity180 staff have previously served in FoodCorps. Comparable K-12 healthy school food mission and federal/state funding overlap.
• Healthy Eating Research: RWJF-funded national program of research on policy, systems, and environmental strategies to improve children's nutrition. Directly comparable as an academic-research-to-policy intermediary in childhood nutrition.
• Shape Up America!: National nonprofit focused on healthy weight, nutrition, and physical activity for children and adults. Comparable mission space with more limited current operational scale than ChildObesity180.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FChildObesity180
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ChildObesity180
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildObesity180

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about childobesity180