Six-week Latino family prevention pilot program effectively promotes healthy behaviors and reduces obesogenic behaviors

Abstract

Objective: To test the effectiveness of a 6-week family-based healthy eating pilot program aimed to reduce obesogenic behaviors among Latino parents and children.

Methods: A 6-week healthy eating pilot program focused on dietary changes within Latino families with a 6- to 13-year-old child. A 1-group, pre-posttest design with 2-month follow-up examining fruit, vegetable, and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

Results: The program was effective at increasing parent-report of child fruit consumption, (P < .001, effect size = .26), vegetable consumption, (P = .001, effect size = .20), and decreasing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, (P = .002, effect size = .16).

Conclusions and implications: This family-based prevention program was effective at improving healthy eating in Latino families, especially for children. The curriculum can be used in future prevention programs for Latino families with a 6- to 13-year-old child.

Keywords: Latino families; fruits; healthy eating program; sugar-sweetened beverages; vegetables.