Baby Health and Behavior Lab

About the Team

At the Baby Health and Behavior Lab, a multidisciplinary team, led by Kai Ling Kong, PhD, MS, executes a scope of investigations in the focus of childhood obesity. The team strives to disentangle the factors that influence and contribute to obesity risk and development, from infant feeding practices and home environment to those appearing as early as pregnancy. In alignment with Dr. Kong’s work—which is grounded in behavioral economics, environmental enrichment, and choice architecture—the lab investigates variables such as food motivation and how non-food alternatives can shape a healthier lifestyle.

Childhood obesity remains a prevalent health concern, as it consequently holds a strong grasp on the trajectory on future health. Families and children of low socioeconomic status (SES) are the lab’s population of interest, as they are most vulnerable for health disparities. Specifically, rapid weight gain within the first few years of life strongly predicts development of later obesity. Dr. Kong proposes that low SES groups are challenged by ecological and economic circumstances which exacerbate food reinforcement, and through rigorous efforts, the lab examines interventions that promote non-food reinforcement with the ultimate goal of obesity prevention.