A cluster randomized controlled trial for child and parent weight management: children and parents randomized to the intervention group have correlated changes in adiposity

Targeting Pediatric Obesity via a Healthy Lifestyle Summer Camp Intervention: How Necessary Is a Parenting Component?

Background: Pediatric obesity represents a significant public health concern, especially for Hispanic school-aged children. This study examined via a randomized trial the efficacy of a family-based intervention [Healthy Lifestyle Summer Camp and Parenting program (HLSC+HLPP)] compared with a child-based camp intervention [Healthy Lifestyle Summer Camp (HLSC)] on improving child and parent health outcomes. Methods: Participants included 24 children (n = 11 HLSC+HLPP; n = 13 HLSC) with a mean age of 6.17 years (range 4-9 years) who were mostly Hispanic (87.5%) and were classified as overweight or obese, and their primary caregiver. Various anthropometric, physical activity, nutrition, and parenting outcomes were collected pre-/post-intervention. Results: Results indicated that both interventions were feasible and acceptable. There were no statistically significant differences between groups; however, both groups demonstrated a decrease in child BMI z-score (HLSC+HLPP: g = -0.31; HLSC: g = -0.31) and increase in child fitness (HLSC+HLPP: g = 1.70; HLSC: g = 1.77), nutritional health classification (HLSC+HLPP: g = 1.54; HLSC: g = 0.82), nutrition expressive knowledge (HLSC+HLPP: g = 1.03; HLSC: g = 1.06), and parental monitoring (HLSC+HLPP: g = 0.51; HLSC: g = 0.49) after the intervention. Conclusions: These findings highlight the feasibility, acceptability, and improvement of child health outcomes after both interventions. Future research should examine group differences during a follow-up period as well as employ a larger sample.

Online Parenting Intervention for Children’s Eating and Mealtime Behaviors: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Obesity and overweight are significant health problems among Australian children. Parents play a vital role in establishing healthy eating behaviors in their children. However, parents often experience difficulties in implementing effective parenting practices and lack confidence in their ability to help children adopt these behaviors. This trial will evaluate the efficacy of an online program, Healthy Habits Triple P, in improving children’s snacking and mealtime behaviors and related parenting practices. Methods and analysis: This is a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial for parents of young Australian children aged 2–6 years. Participants will be recruited through childcare centers, social media, online parent forums and existing networks. The participants in the intervention arm will receive access to a web-based parenting intervention in addition to nutrition-related information for parents published by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia; those in the control arm will receive nutrition-related information only. After the completion of the study, the parenting intervention will be offered to the control arm. The primary outcome will be improvement in children’s eating habits. The secondary outcomes include parents’ self-efficacy, confidence, children’s mealtime behaviors and mealtime parenting strategies. Both primary and secondary outcomes will be evaluated through online-administered, validated parent-reported questionnaires. We will also undertake a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the practicality and acceptability of the intervention.

The association of changes in body mass index and metabolic parameters between adults with overweight or obesity and their children in a family-based randomized trial (DiOGenes)

BACKGROUND

Family-based approaches have been reported to be effective in improving overweight or obesity in children.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the relationship of changes in body mass index and metabolic parameters between adults with overweight or obesity and their children during a weight-maintenance family-based dietary intervention.

METHODS

In a multicentre randomized controlled trial, families with at least one parent with overweight or obesity and one healthy child aged between 5 and 18 years, of which the parents completed an 8-week weight-loss phase successfully, were randomized into five different dietary intervention groups to achieve weight maintenance for 6 months. Anthropometric parameters and body composition were measured and blood samples were collected before and after the dietary intervention. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation coefficient analyses and multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for diet group, centre, child's sex and age.

RESULTS

A positive association was found between the change in body mass index (BMI) of the mother and change in BMI-for-age Z-score of first and second child (std β = 0.248, p = 0.000; std β = 0.326, p = 0.000, respectively). The change in BMI of the father was only significantly associated with the change in BMI-for-age Z-score of first child (std β = 0.186, p = 0.031). No consistent pattern of associations between parents and children was found for homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, fasting glucose and fasting insulin.

CONCLUSION

This study supports the inclusion of parents into family-based dietary approaches for weight management of their children regardless of the child's weight status in eight different countries throughout Europe.

A multi-component, community-engaged intervention to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in perimenopausal Latinas: pilot study protocol

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk increases substantially during perimenopause. Latinas have a significantly worse CVD risk factor profile than non-Hispanic White women, potentially due to multiple sociocultural and environmental factors. To date, interdisciplinary interventions have not focused on improving nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and biologic CVD risk in perimenopausal Latinas. The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and initial efficacy of a multi-component intervention to reduce CVD risk in perimenopausal Latinas.

METHODS

This is a two-group, repeated measures experimental study. Eighty perimenopausal Latinas (age 40-55 years) from two community groups will be randomized: one group will complete the intervention; the other will be a wait-list control. The intervention consists of 12-weekly sessions (education, physical activity, stress management, coping skills training), followed by 3 months of continued support, and 6 months of skill maintenance on their own. The primary outcomes include arterial stiffness, blood pressure, lipids, and blood glucose. Secondary outcomes are health behaviors (nutrition, physical activity, sleep, coping strategies), self-efficacy, and other biological factors related to CVD risk (adiposity, C-reactive protein, hair cortisol, vasomotor symptoms). We will assess changes in outcomes from Time 1 (baseline) to Time 2 (6 months) and Time 3 (12 months) using general linear mixed models to test the hypotheses. We will also evaluate the feasibility of the intervention by assessing enrollment and retention rates, barriers, and facilitators to enrollment, intervention fidelity, the suitability of study procedures, and participant satisfaction with the intervention and study protocol. We hypothesize the intervention group will decrease biologic CVD risk and improve health behaviors and self-efficacy significantly more than the wait-list control.

DISCUSSION

Results from this study will contribute to knowledge on the feasibility of behavioral interventions, including stress management and coping skills training, which could reduce CVD burden among perimenopausal Latinas. Because Hispanic/Latinos are the largest ethnic minority in the United States (US), progress regarding CVD risk among perimenopausal Latinas may lead to significant improvement in the overall CVD burden in the US.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospectively registered, NCT04313751 (03/19/2020), Protocol version 1.0.

The Process of Integrating an Evidence-Based Intervention into a Public Health Department to Improve Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors in Parents and Children

The purpose of this manuscript is to describe a mutually beneficial collaboration with a Public Health Department and a University to implement an evidence-based program to teach nutrition and physical activity to improve adult and child outcomes. We first assessed the needs of the Public Health Department to build sustainable capacity. Next, all collaborators were invited to work together to focus on success. We invested in the leadership structure and strategically planned together. Finally, all of the collaborators worked together to practice cultural awareness. The process of implementing evidence-based programs allows all collaborators to emerge from the interaction stronger as a result of respectful dialogue and team building.

Child, Caregiver, Family, and Social-Contextual Factors to Consider when Implementing Parent-Focused Child Feeding Interventions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Interventions that aim to alter child eating behaviors often focus on parents as a proximal influence. Yet, parents can be difficult to engage. Therefore, intervention recommendations are often not implemented as designed. The goal of this review is to highlight factors at multiple contextual levels that are important to consider when developing interventions to address child eating, due to their implications for overcoming parent engagement challenges.

RECENT FINDINGS

Intervention studies suggest that parents are often the key to successfully changing child eating behaviors, and many interventions focus on feeding. Factors such as child eating phenotypes, parent stress, family system dynamics, and sociodemographic constraints have also been identified as shaping food parenting. Challenges at multiple contextual levels can affect the likelihood of parent engagement. Addressing factors at the child-, parent-, family-, and broader social-contextual levels of influence is essential in order to promote best practices for parent-focused feeding interventions.