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Physical Activity in Transition-Age Youth on the Autism Spectrum

Award Number: K23HD118256
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/07/2025
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2030

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Physical Activity in Transition-Age Youth on the Autism Spectrum - PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT The long-term goal of this K23 Career Development Award is to prepare the PI (Yu-Lun Chen, PhD) for an independent research career that aims to promote physical activity (PA) and health in people on the autism spectrum, with a focus on transition-age youth on the spectrum (TAYS). PA, defined as any bodily movement increasing energy expenditure above a basal level, is critical in promoting physical and mental health and preventing adverse health conditions. However, TAYS are four times less likely to achieve the recommended PA levels than typically developing peers. This is a significant health concern for TAYS that not only diminishes their quality of life but also correlates with a nearly doubled risk of obesity compared to the general population. Inactive lifestyles in TAYS likely persist into later adulthood and may increase risks for chronic diseases in later adulthood. For instance, adults on the spectrum face more than doubled risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases compared to the general population, suggesting an urgent need to promote PA in TAYS and avert negative health outcomes. However, high-quality PA interventions for TAYS are scarce due to key knowledge gaps including a lack of validated, objective outcome measures of PA behaviors in TAYS, as well as limited scientific knowledge on the modifiable factors unique to TAYS that are associated with PA and can serve as potential intervention targets. The K23 research will address these through the following aims: 1) to calibrate and validate wrist accelerometer output of PA measures to account for repetitive hand movements in TAYS; 2) quantify patterns of PA behaviors in TAYS in everyday life; and 3) identify modifiable intervention targets for PA by systematically assessing predictors of daily PA behaviors including functional impairment, contextual barriers, and motivation. The proposed K23 research project will generate novel data on PA outcome measures, patterns of PA behaviors, and modifiable targets for intervention for TAYS, enabling the development and evaluation of a high-quality PA intervention in subsequent R21 and R01 proposals. The proposal expands the PI’s prior training in health outcomes research with TAYS to develop an innovative research program in PA promotion, a critical yet understudied topic. The K23 training plan involves PA measurement validation, accelerometry data analysis, and community-engaged PA intervention development. The K23 mentoring team has extensive mentoring experience, multidisciplinary expertise directly relevant to the proposal, and a history of productive collaboration with the PI. By the end of the training, the PI will be able to incorporate wearable accelerometer measures in mobile-health PA research and develop an independent research program on health promotion in TAYS, ultimately improving well-being and preventing chronic health conditions in these vulnerable populations.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2026	2025	KESSLER FOUNDATION, INC	120 EAGLE ROCK AVE STE 100	EAST HANOVER	NJ	07936	MORRIS	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	1	1/22/2026	NEW	$163,904
2026	2025	KESSLER FOUNDATION, INC	120 EAGLE ROCK AVE STE 100	EAST HANOVER	NJ	07936	MORRIS	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	1/20/2026	NEW	-$163,904
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $163,904 )
2025	2025	KESSLER FOUNDATION, INC	120 EAGLE ROCK AVE STE 100	EAST HANOVER	NJ	07936	MORRIS	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	8/7/2025	NEW	$163,904
														Subtotal = $163,904

Grand Total All Awards = $163,904

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Physical Activity in Transition-Age Youth on the Autism Spectrum

Award Number: K23HD118256

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/07/2025

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2030

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