Overview
The investigators have developed BUILT in hopes of empowering families to adopt and sustain healthy food, sleep, and exercise routines that optimize child focus, attention, and behavior. Over 8-weeks, the BUILT program will explore what science says about the effects of sleep, nutrition, and exercise on brain development and behavior; investigate the food, sleep, and exercise routines of the world's best athletes and intellectuals; and experiment with home routines to find those that best fits with participating families.
It is hypothesized that families participating in BUILT (N=150) will show significant improvements in child health behaviors (sleep, nutrition, physical activity, recreational screen time), child mental health (ADHD symptoms [primary outcome], child functional impairment), child physical literacy, and family dynamics (cohesion, structure, communication) from baseline to posttest.
Description
Families enrolled in Chicago Park District programs will be offered the opportunity to participate in the BUILT family lifestyle program. Using a single group design, measures will be taken within two weeks of program start and two weeks after completion. Additional feasibility measures will be taken during the program itself to inform refinements across iterations. The BUILT program will occur largely on-line and consist of weekly home challenges related to food, sleep, and exercise that add up to form a comprehensive home routine--the routine will optimize neurocognitive development and home structure. The program will be co-facilitated by UIC students and Chicago Park District staff. For more information visit the program website: https://built.ahs.uic.edu.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Boys and girls ages 6 to 12 years old
- Parent orientation session summarizing activities
- Child free of conditions that preclude aerobic activity
- Child enrolled in Chicago Park District programming
Exclusion Criteria:
- Boys and girls < 6 years old or > 12 years old
- Parent does not participate in orientation session summarizing activities
- Child has conditions that preclude aerobic activity
- Child not enrolled in Chicago Park District programming