Reducing Childhood Obesity Using Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) and Video Feedback atFamily Meals

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Abstract The low to moderate success with childhood obesity interventions to date and the persistent obesity disparities across race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status indicate the need to approach childhood obesity in a new and innovative way. Building on the last three decades of research on childhood obesity, the main objective of the proposed study is to utilize state-of-the-art intervention methods including ecological momentary intervention (EMI), video feedback, and home visiting methods in partnership with primary care clinics and Community Health Workers (CHWs) to examine whether increasing the quality of family meals (i.e., dietary quality, interpersonal atmosphere) and quantity of family meals (i.e., frequency of meals) reduces childhood obesity. Numerous studies have shown significant associations between family meal frequency and child weight and weight-related behaviors (e.g., better diet quality, lower weight status). Research has also shown that the quality of family meals, including dietary quality of the food served at family meals and the interpersonal atmosphere during family meals, is associated with decreased childhood obesity risk. In addition, prior intervention research has shown that immediate feedback on health behaviors (e.g., EMI, video feedback) increases the likelihood of behavior change. Thus, the proposed individual randomized controlled effectiveness trial, based on our pilot study, tests combinations of the above factors (i.e., EMI, home visiting, video feedback) across three study arms: (1) EMI; (2) EMI+Home Visiting (HV); and (3) EMI+HV+Video Feedback. All arms will receive 16 weeks of EMI family meal tip messages delivered via smartphones. Arms 2 and 3 will additionally receive home visiting (eight in-home visits; eight “Try it Yourself” activities) focused on family meal quality and quantity and a family meal prep activity delivered by a CHW simultaneously with the 16 weeks of EMI. Arm 3 will additionally receive eight weeks of video feedback focused on family meal behavior(s)/patterns delivered by a CHW during the eight in-home visits. All arms will receive an 8-week maintenance phase allowing for progressively less support of families so they can increase self-efficacy and sustainability of behavior change. The intervention will be carried out for 6 months with children with overweight/obesity (i.e., BMI ≥85%ile) who are ages 5-8 years (n=510), from low income and diverse households (i.e., African American, Hispanic, Native American, White), and their families. Eligible children will be recruited through primary care clinics. Drawing on Family Systems Theory, the intervention aims to change individual and family-level behaviors. Specifically, the intervention will be delivered to the family unit and primary outcomes will include child weight (i.e., BMI %ile) and diet quality (i.e., Healthy Eating Index). Secondary outcomes will include parent and other family member’s weight and weight-related behaviors. This study will change clinical practice by creating a new model for childhood obesity treatment in primary care using CHWs as interventionists and mobile health technology to intervene in real-time on parental stress and the home food environment to reduce childhood obesity.