STEP IN: Supporting Together Exercise and Play and Improving Nutrition; a Feasibility Study of Parent-Led Group Sessions and Fitness Trackers to Improve Family Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in a Low-Income, Predominantly Black Population

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 20; no. 9; p. 5686
• Main Authors: Gorecki, Michelle C, Piotrowski, Megan E, Brown, Courtney M, Teli, Radhika R, Percy, Zana, Lane, Laura, Bolling, Christopher F, Siegel, Robert M, Copeland, Kristen A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 28.04.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Behavior; Body mass; Body Mass Index; Body size; Caregivers; Child; Children; Children & youth; Clinical trials; Community; Design; Diet; Domestic relations; Dropouts; Exercise; Families & family life; Family; Feasibility Studies; Fitness Trackers; Focus groups; Health aspects; Health care; Healthy Lifestyle; Hispanic Americans; Humans; Intervention; Low income groups; Meals; Medicaid; Motivation; Nutrition; Obesity; Obesity in children; Parents; Parents & parenting; Patients; Pediatric Obesity - prevention & control; Pediatrics; Physical fitness; Primary care; Public health; Tracking devices; Weight control; Ohio; United States > US; health disparities; peer-led group sessions; obesity management; primary care pediatrics; pediatric obesity; group weight management; patient engagement; peer support
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20095686

Pediatric obesity is prevalent and challenging to treat. Although family-centered behavioral management is the gold standard, many families face structural inequities to its access and efficacy. Identifying ways to manage pediatric obesity within primary care is needed. This feasibility study included three sequential trials of peer-led group sessions occurring biweekly or monthly between 3/2016 and 2/2017. Parent-child dyads were recruited from a large academic primary care clinic via mailed invitations, prioritizing patients living in local zip codes of historical disinvestment. Eligible patients were 6 to 12 years with a body mass index ≥85th percentile, with parent and child interest in making healthy lifestyle changes, and English speaking. 27 dyads participated, 77% were non-Hispanic Black. Retention and attendance rates were highest in the initial four-session biweekly pilot (100%, 0 dropouts), high in the full six-session biweekly cohort (83%, 1 dropout), and moderate in the monthly cohort (62.7%, 4 dropouts). Families reported high satisfaction with the sessions (4.75/5). Qualitative comments suggested social connections had motivated behavior change in some families. Parent-led group sessions for pediatric weight management show promise in engaging families. A future large trial is needed to assess behavior change and anthropometric outcomes.