Pediatric overweight prevention through a parent training program for 2-4 year old Latino children

Abstract

Background: Latino preschool children in the United States are at high risk for obesity. The objective of this study was to measure over a one-year period whether a parent training based on social learning theory combined with evidence-based interventions to promote optimal nutrition and physical activity will reduce the upward trend of BMI z-scores in groups of 2–4 year old Latino children living in low-income households.

Methods: Seven weekly classes with 2 booster classes were delivered to low-income Latino parents with 2–4 year old children. A randomized controlled pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention that contrasts 61 children whose parents were randomized to receive Parent Training (PT) with 60 Wait-list (WL) subjects. Forty subjects did not attend the one-year follow up assessment, resulting in 81 subjects who have measurements for both baseline and one-year follow up assessments. To adjust for differential dropout rates and missing observations, imputation of missing data was done using a carefully constructed model that included relevant independent variables.

Results: There were no significant subject differences between groups at baseline for family characteristics and BMI categories for child and parent. Children in the intervention group decreased their BMI z-scores significantly on average by .20 (SE= .08) compared to children in the control group who increased z scores on average by .04 (SE=.09) at one year (P<.05).

Conclusions: Parent training is effective to reduce the risk of overweight in preschool Latino children living in low-income households. The findings need to be examined in a larger sample of children.