The OREI Behavioral Medicine Group is an informal intercollegiate, multidisciplinary team of researchers interested in behavioral aspects of obesity and related health problems. The group from multiple departments and colleges is headed by a leadership team of Drs. Lucas Carr (CLAS), David Frisvold (TCOB) and Ruth Grossmann (CON) lending their expertise in interventional research including community based research, nutrition, sedentary activity and physical activity, etc. The OREI Behavioral Medicine Group meets at least quarterly to network, build research partnerships and collaborations, review grants and papers, and discuss influencing obesity initiatives in the state of Iowa. Below are examples of the current research activities of the OREI Behavioral Medicine Group leadership team.

	Dr. Lucas Carr Assistant Professor, Health and Human Physiology/CLAS Dr. Carr is conducting a worksite wellness intervention focused on reducing occupational sedentary behavior at American College Testing (ACT) in Iowa City, which was funded by the Healthier Workforce Center of Excellence at the University of Iowa. Dr. Carr, in conjunction with Dr. Sharon Tucker, is co-leading the development of a behavioral weight loss program for adolescent patients being treated at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital Cardio Metabolic Clinic. The program is being funded by a Steadman Excellence Award and will provide internship opportunities for students in Health Promotion and Nursing.
	Dr. David Frisvold Assistant Professor, Economics/TCB Dr. Frisvold’s research agenda explores the role for government policies to reduce childhood obesity. His projects include examining the influence of the expansion of the School Breakfast Program, examining the influence of changes in the federal reimbursement rate on the nutritional content of school meals, understanding the influence of soft drink taxes, and determining the impact of physical education policies on childhood obesity.
	Dr. Ruth Grossmann Associate Faculty, CON Dr. Grossmann is collaborating with Dr. Charles Brenner, Co-Director of the OREI to identify novel biomarkers of nutritional interventions for obesity. These biomarkers would link mouse mechanistic studies with clinical outcomes in human subjects. Dr. Grossmann will use both global and targeted metabolomic methods to identify biomarkers of micronutrient status that may be used to personalize nutrition interventions.