Regional Oncology Research Center - Assessing Capacity to Address Obesity for CPC

Obesity is a leading risk factor for numerous chronic diseases, including cancer, and is expected to soon outweigh the influence of other major risk factors such as smoking. Differences in the food environment, including limited availability and affordability of healthy foods in urban communities, exacerbate disease outcomes and mortality. Policies and programs aimed at modifying the food environment have shown promise in improving dietary behaviors and reducing health risks. However, policymakers and stakeholders currently lack tools to test the potential effectiveness and sustainability of proposed interventions, hindering their ability to make informed decisions. This project focuses on the planning and groundwork needed to develop a simulation model of the Baltimore, Maryland food environment using a whole-of-systems approach (WSA). The proposed future simulation model will allow stakeholders—including policymakers, neighborhood associations, and public health leaders—to virtually test the impact of various policies and programs on dietary behaviors, obesity, and cancer risk. This adaptable tool will equip communities to identify synergistic interventions to improve population health. The project’s Specific Aims are as follows: 1) Data Collection and Synthesis (Gather data on the prevalence of obesity and cancer in Baltimore, incorporating behavioral, household, and community-level determinants; and develop an integrated database to support the parameterization of the simulation model); 2) Stakeholder Engagement and Qualitative Research (Identify and engage key stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, and community leaders, through targeted outreach and partnerships; and conduct semi-structured interviews and group model-building sessions to identify salient and modifiable features of the food environment that can serve as levers for sustainable change); and 3) Report Development and Simulation Model GUI Design (Synthesize findings into a comprehensive report that outlines a WSA framework for addressing obesity and cancer risk; and develop a prototype of a web-based graphical user interface (dashboard) to support stakeholder decision-making, integrating interactive scenario testing tools, geospatial mapping, and visualized policy impacts). This work is guided by two conceptual frameworks: the Whole-of-Systems Approach (WSA) and the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM). These frameworks will inform the model’s design, ensuring it captures the multilevel factors influencing obesity and cancer risk. Expected outcomes include a robust, integrated database of obesity and cancer determinants, a detailed report on systems-based intervention strategies, and a prototype GUI for policy and program planning. This project lays the foundation for a scalable simulation model that can inform transformative public health strategies in Baltimore and similar urban communities nationwide. By integrating data, stakeholder input, and innovative technology, the project aims to promote community health and advance the science of public health decision-making.