San Diego family health project: reaching families through the schools

Abstract

This project tests the effectiveness of a family-based health behavior change intervention in two ethnic groups. The aim is to help family members initiate and maintain dietary and physical activity behaviors believed to be linked to risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This paper describes the project and the baseline results. Twelve San Diego elementary schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions. Hispanic and Anglo families with a fifth or sixth grade child were recruited to participate in a two-year study. The intervention emphasizes enjoyable experiences designed to transmit knowledge and skills required for long-term changes in diet and physical activity habits. Groups of families met at schools for 12 weekly sessions and six maintenance sessions distributed throughout the following nine months. Outcome behavioral and physiologic measures will be collected at baseline, three months, 12 months, and 24 months. Differences between Anglo and Mexican-American subjects justify targeted activities specific to these groups.