Healthy Lifestyle: Family Based Intervention Overweight

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary/Abstract: The problem of overweight children has many adverse medical and psychological effects and is of growing concern in the United States. To address this issue, we propose to develop parent education materials based on Social Learning Theory. The goal of this program is to increase parents' level of motivation and sense of self-efficacy in bringing about changes in family healthy lifestyle behaviors in order to promote weight loss in their children. While children's risk of obesity depends on many factors, parents are the key players in shaping the home environment, diet, food preferences, and physical activity levels. Yet over-control or under-control of child eating behaviors by parents has adverse effects. On the other hand, when parents work on changing the home health environment and on providing consistent health models, children develop improved eating habits and activity patterns. The overall research aim of this project, The Healthy Lifestyle, will be to demonstrate that our intervention, using a home-based delivery method, is as effective as the center-based group approach successfully used in research studies conducted by Dr. Moria Golan. In Phase I, the research team will determine the feasibility of The Healthy Lifestyle by testing Module 1. The test will be conducted with a group of 40 parents recruited with the collaboration of the Oregon School-based Health Care Network, Centro LatinoAmericano, and PeaceHealth Medical Groups. This feasibility study will determine whether parents: a) engaged with, used and liked the materials, b) improved their feelings of self-efficacy related to establishing a healthier family lifestyle and helping their child to lose weight, c) increased their knowledge of nutrition, d) made at least 1 of the changes in family lifestyle practices recommended in the materials and e) used the internet features of the program. Positive outcomes on these factors will establish that the proposed product is effective, practical and viable. In Phase II, the research team will develop the 7 remaining interactive educational modules and conduct a randomized controlled trial with approximately 150 parents and their overweight or at risk of becoming overweight children. Phase II research will establish that the program produces positive changes in physical activity and nutrition in the family and lowers the body mass index of the child who is overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Project Narrative: This project addresses the growing national concern over the problem of obesity in children. Childhood obesity presents many adverse medical effects, such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, bone problems, sleep apnea, and widespread psychosocial effects, such as the early and systematic discrimination and stigmatization experienced by overweight children. The proposed research will address this major health problem by developing a family-based obesity prevention program.