Formative research in a school-based obesity prevention program for Native American school children (Pathways)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Community Health
• Indigenous Health

Background:

• Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern, particularly within Native American communities.
• Previous obesity prevention efforts may not have adequately incorporated community-specific needs and cultural contexts.
• The Pathways study aimed to address these gaps through culturally relevant interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of formative research for obesity prevention interventions.
• To highlight the unique, multi-tribal, and holistic nature of this formative research approach.
• To identify effective and less effective components of the formative assessment protocol.

Main Methods:

• Applied formative research methods across six Native American nations.
• Conducted holistic data collection involving parents, children, teachers, administrators, and community leaders.
• Developed the protocol through a multi-disciplinary team with Native American collaborators.

Main Results:

• The formative research process was adapted and implemented across diverse Native American settings.
• Data collection captured a wide range of perspectives on childhood obesity and prevention.
• Analysis focused on identifying specific risk behaviors relevant to the participating communities.

Conclusions:

• This study demonstrates a novel, collaborative approach to formative research for indigenous child obesity prevention.
• The findings provide insights into the effectiveness of different formative assessment components.
• The methodology offers a model for culturally sensitive public health intervention development.