The link between obesity and the epidemic of type-2 diabetes among our nation’s children and adolescents is, unfortunately, well-established. However, little is known about the link between academic achievement and its relationship to type-2 diabetes and diabetes’ often-undiagnosed precursor, metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Antonio Convit is one of the very few researchers nationwide investigating the relationship between glucose regulation and cognitive function in obese adolescents. His preliminary findings demonstrate that obese adolescents have deficits in cognitive ability, including IQ, spelling, attention, and short-term memory--even before diabetes has been diagnosed.

In NYC, where the rate of overweight and obesity is one-third higher than the national average, a significant portion of public school students may be underachieving due to an undiagnosed problem with their glucose regulation. In young people, this medical condition can be reversed by changes in diet and lifestyle.

The BODY Project: Banishing Obesity and Diabetes in our Youth is a personalized screening and intervention program designed for partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Mental Health in NYC in order to help students with, or at risk for, metabolic syndrome, type-2 diabetes and/or early-onset cardiovascular disease. Created in collaboration with the NYU Center for Brain Health, NYU Child Study Center, NYU Wagner School of Public Service, NYU Steinhardt School of Education, and the NYS Nathan Kline Institute, the BODY Project aims to make annual screenings an ongoing part of school-based preventive care.