The Healthy Kids & Families study: Outcomes of a 24-month childhood obesity prevention intervention

• Authors: Milagros C Rosal, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Stephenie C Lemon, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Amy Borg, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Andrea Lopez-Cepero, Emory University; Meera Sreedhara, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Valerie Silfee, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Lori Pbert, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Kevin Kane, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Wenjun Li, University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Journal Title: Preventive Medicine Reports
• Volume: Volume 31
• Publisher: Elsevier Inc | 2023-02-01, Pages 102086-102086
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102086
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Epidemiology
• Keywords: Behaviour; Change; Health equity; Health promotion; Lifestyle change; Obesity prevention

Abstract

Socioeconomically disadvantaged children experience a high burden of obesity but few interventions address obesity prevention in this population subgroup. The Healthy Kids & Families study tested the effect of a parent-focused community health worker (CHW)-delivered lifestyle intervention to prevent childhood obesity. Participants were child-parent/guardian (Kindergarten to 6th grade at baseline) dyads (n = 247) recruited through schools located in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Worcester, MA, USA. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study tested the impact of Healthy Kids & Families, a theory-based, low-intensity, parent-focused, CHW-delivered intervention to improve children's weight, healthy eating and physical activity. The attention-control comparison condition was a positive parenting intervention. The primary outcome was change in child body mass index (BMI) z-score at 24 months. Secondary outcomes included number of positive child and parent changes in selected diet and physical activity behaviors targeted by the intervention and change in parent BMI. Outcomes were assessed following the intent-to-treat principle and using multivariable generalized linear mixed models. Compared to the attention-control comparison condition, the Healthy Kids & Families intervention led to a greater reduction in children's BMI z-score (β = −0.17, 95 %CI: −1.92 to −0.36; p = 0.057) and a greater number of positive behavior changes among children (β = 0.57, 95 %CI: 0.08–1.06; p = 0.02) at 24 months. There was no significant change in parent outcomes. The Healthy Kids & Families intervention shows promise for obesity prevention among children in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.