Families and Schools for Health: Preliminary Findings from a Rural Obesity Intervention

Objective was to test the impact of two interventions in a sample of 1st graders (20 schools) at risk for obesity. Sessions were 90‐min/wk over 12 weeks. One targeted Family Food & Lifestyle (FL) variables only and one added a Family Dynamics (FD) psycho‐educational component. FL treatment (n = 33 > 75% BMI in 6+ sessions) provided education about healthy eating/exercise and behavior modification for lifestyle. FD intervention (n = 24 > 75% BMI in 6+ sessions) also targeted psychosocial issues (e.g., parenting, communication). Mother report of food practices/concerns on CFQ were compared from baseline to post‐intervention, controlling for baseline differences. Analyses here were conducted for overweight children (BMI > 95%). Intervention effects were significant (p < .05, df (1, 14)) in half of analyses conducted and include: Concern about child dieting, FL>Control, F= 4.52; Need to guide or child eats too much junk food, FD>FL, F= 5.22; Careful that child eats enough, FD>Control, F= 6.15, FL>Control, F= 4.39; Tracking child's high‐fat food, FD>Control, F= 5.60, FL>Control, F= 17.79; Tracking fruit/vegetables, FD>Control, F= 9.09, FD>FL, F= 10.08; Tracking dairy, FD>Control, F= 4.48; and Tracking nutritious foods child eats, FL>Control, F= 4.85. Analysis for children > 85% and > 75% BMI yielded similar results but more effects were evident among those > 95%. Results suggest impact of both treatments. USDA Grant 05545