Child obesity is a worldwide public health concern. In America, children from rural areas have greater odds of obesity in comparison to those from urban areas. Community-engaged research is important for all communities, particularly under-represented communities. This paper reports the results of a scoping review investigating community-engaged research in obesity prevention programs tested with school-aged children in rural America. A literature search of Medline Ovid was conducted to identify interventions reporting the results of obesity prevention interventions that promoted a healthy diet or physical activity (PA) behaviors to school-age children in rural communities of the United States (US). After title and abstract review, potentially relevant citations were further examined by assessing the full text. Each stage of review was conducted by two independent reviewers. Twelve studies met the inclusionary criteria and are included in this review. Most of the studies focused on elementary school participants (n = 7) and improving both diet and PA (n = 9). Out of the twelve studies, only five included the target audience in intervention development or implementation. The most popular type of community engagement was community participation (n = 4). This review revealed that community-engaged research is under-utilized in obesity prevention interventions tested with school-aged children in rural US communities.

The Medicine Race Democracy Lab (www.mrdlab.org), was established by faculty from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine and operated from 2021 to 2023. Its core mission aimed to examine healthcare provision beyond traditional hospital settings, focusing on community clinics as sites of social innovation. The lab engaged with acupuncture colleges, community centers, religious institutions, and charitable organizations that offer healthcare services beyond the Texas Medical Center. While critiques of large medical systems have highlighted their role in perpetuating medical racism and exacerbating access barriers, the MRD Lab found that community-based clinics often address these issues directly. Our research revealed that these grassroots healthcare providers tend to be racially inclusive, financially accessible, and therapeutically innovative. The lab took on a multidisciplinary approach to engage with issues related to immigration, religion, and yielded a range of research outputs, including videos, exhibitions, poetry, essays, maps, and podcasts. Each research cluster was guided by external advisors and implemented a staggered peer-to-peer mentoring system. The lab received funding from the Chao Center for Asian Studies, the Humanities Research Center, and the BRIDGE (Building Research on Inequality and Diversity to Grow Equity) initiative at Rice University. Currently, while the lab’s intensive research phase has concluded, it continues its worth through ongoing academic training, publishing, and sustained relationships with community clinics.