Congratulations to Grace Wu, PhD, RN, assistant professor at the UNC School of Nursing, for being awarded the 2023 SPLENDOR-NC pilot grant. This grant will provide support for her research project, The Carolina Blue Project, which aims to explore the frequency and severity of disinhibited eating among North Carolina law enforcement officers and its association with work-related stressors, psychosocial distress and cardiovascular disease.
The Carolina Blue Project seeks to shed light on the unique challenges faced by law enforcement officers in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By understanding these challenges, the project aims to develop targeted interventions to improve the overall health and well-being of law enforcement personnel.
This year, Dr. Wu is leading her research team to rural areas of North Carolina to provide comprehensive health assessments for law enforcement officers. The team’s efforts have already made an impact, with one officer from Stoke County expressing gratitude for the attention given to their community. The officer shared, “No research team ever cares about us or comes to our county for research because we are so remote. Your team was the first to make the effort to help us.” This feedback underscores the importance of addressing the unique needs of law enforcement officers in rural areas of our state.
The SPLENDOR-NC pilot grant awarded to Dr. Wu is part of the “Supporting, Promoting, and Launching the Expansion of Nutrition, Diabetes, and Obesity Researchers in North Carolina” initiative. SPLENDOR-NC aims to foster the success of diverse faculty engaged in research in the fields of nutrition, obesity and diabetes at six participating institutions: Duke University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University.
By leveraging the well-established collaborations facilitated through the NIDDK-funded UNC Nutrition Obesity Research Center and North Carolina Diabetes Research Center, SPLENDOR-NC aims to promote interdisciplinary research and foster innovation in addressing nutrition, obesity and diabetes-related challenges.
To learn more about SPLENDOR-NC and its initiatives, please visit https://splendor-nc.org/. The website provides a comprehensive overview of the program, its objectives and the collaborative efforts being undertaken by the participating institutions.