Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine the most effective family-centered intervention (FCI) for weight loss and obesity prevention in Hispanic families. FCI is a type of program that involves family (such as parents and caregivers) supporting their children to promote healthy habits.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

Phase 1

• Age >= 18 years (per self-report)
• Self-identifies as Hispanic/Latino (per self-report)
• Seeking, or has used, services at the VDS or MHU (per self-report)
• Is the parent or primary caregiver for at least one child aged 8-12 living in their household (per self-report)
• Screens as obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI of 25 - 29.9 kg/m2) (per height and weight measurement in person or per self-report)
• Owns a cell phone capable of receiving text messages (per self-report)
• Owns an internet connected device (e.g. cell phone, tablet, etc.) capable of conducting videoconference calls (per self-report)
• Agrees to be audio-recorded (per self-report)

Phase 2 (parent participants)

• Age >= 18 years (per self-report)
• Self-identifies as Hispanic/Latino (per self-report)
• Seeking, or has used, services at the VDS or MHU (per self-report)
• Is the parent or primary caregiver for at least one child aged 8-12 living in their household (per self-report)
• Screens as obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI of 25 - 29.9 kg/m2) (per height and weight measurement in person)
• Owns a cell phone capable of receiving text messages (per self-report)
• Owns an internet connected device (e.g. cell phone, tablet, etc.) capable of conducting videoconference calls (per self-report)
• Agrees to be audio-recorded (per self-report)

Phase 2 (child participants)

• Age 8-12 years (per parent self-report)
• Has a parent or primary caregiver who is eligible and participating in Phase 2 (per parent self-report)

Exclusion Criteria:

Phase 1

• Is pregnant or might be pregnant (per self-report)
• Presence of a chronic disease such as cancer, kidney disease, liver disease, etc. (individuals with hypertension and diabetes mellitus may still participate) that may affect diet and study participation (per self-report)
• Has dietary restrictions, i.e. liquid diet, that may affect diet and study participation (per self-report)
• Has a household member who has already participated or agreed to participate in this study program (per self-report)
• Prior participation in one of our preliminary studies, e.g., COMIDA, SANOS, Family COMIDA (per self-report) and any related focus groups
• Works for or with the VDS or MHU (per self-report)
• Presence of cognitive impairment disorder (i.e., delirium or dementia) sufficient to preclude meaningful informed consent and/or data collection (per study team)

Phase 2 (parent participant)

• Is pregnant or might be pregnant (per self-report)
• For women, is lactating (per self-report)
• Presence of a chronic disease such as cancer, kidney disease, liver disease, etc. (individuals with hypertension and diabetes mellitus may still participate) that may affect diet and study participation (per self-report)
• Has dietary restrictions, i.e., liquid diet, that may affect diet and study participation (per self-report)
• Has physical activity restrictions, i.e., handicapped or mobility issues, that may affect physical activity participation (increasing step counts; per self-report)
• Has a household member who has already participated or agreed to participate in this study program (per self-report)
• Prior participation in one of our preliminary studies, e.g., COMIDA, SANOS, Family COMIDA (per self-report) and any related focus groups
• Works for or with the VDS or MHU (per self-report)
• Presence of cognitive impairment disorder (i.e., delirium or dementia) sufficient to preclude meaningful informed consent and/or data collection (per study team)

Phase 2 (child participant)

• Has dietary restrictions, i.e., liquid diet, that may affect diet and study participation (per parent self-report)
• Has physical activity restrictions, i.e., handicapped or mobility issues, that may affect physical activity participation (per parent self-report)
• Has an eating disorder (per parent self-report)
• Is underweight (per parent self-report)