A Population Approach to Childhood Obesity: Using Implementation Science and Community-Engaged Research to Solve Complex Child Health Issues

Sarah Armstrong, MD, FAAP, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Community and Family Medicine, and is on faculty at the Duke Clinical Research Institute. She completed medical school at the University of Virginia, pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and clinical research methods training through the Academic Pediatric Association. In 2006, Dr. Armstrong founded the Duke Children's Healthy Lifestyles program, a pediatric weight management clinic, and in 2012 founded Bull City Fit, a community-based partnership with Durham Parks and Recreation. Her research includes translational, clinical science, implementation, and mixed methods designs that aim to identify and implement effective treatments for children and teens with obesity. She is the Principal Investigator of three ongoing clinical trials investigating clinic-community partnerships, digital health, and the microbiome influences on childhood obesity. She serves as the Vice Chair for Research of Primary Care Pediatrics, Associate Director of the Duke Center for Childhood Obesity Research, co-Director for the APA's Research Scholars Program, and Research Director for the Pediatric Obesity Weight Evaluation Registry. She also serves on the Executive Committees of the Society for Pediatric Research and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Obesity.