Researchers Study Childhood Obesity

Texas A&M University–San Antonio received a $400,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Minority Health Research and Education Grant Program (MHGP) to support a two-year study on childhood obesity among Mexican American youth. Led by Drs. Ravindranath Duggirala and Srinivas Mummidi of the University’s Public Health Genetics and Genomics Group, the research will explore how environmental and socioeconomic factors—such as diet, stress, neighborhood conditions, and physical activity—shape long-term metabolic health. 

The interdisciplinary team also includes Elizabeth Lutz of Bexar County’s Health Collaborative and Dr. Jun Fan of the Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society. Together, they aim to understand how external factors influence biological markers associated with obesity and related diseases. 

“Childhood obesity doesn’t occur in isolation,” Duggirala said. “It’s shaped by lived environments and economic realities.” 

The competitive MHGP program funded only 15 institutions statewide in its 2025 cycle. The project positions A&M–San Antonio as a leader in addressing health disparities and generating actionable research to improve outcomes for underserved communities.