A randomized pilot trial of an integrated school-worksite weight control program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Pediatric Obesity

Background:

• Worksite support may enhance parental engagement in school-based healthy weight programs.
• Parental involvement is crucial for effective childhood obesity interventions.
• Low-income minority families face unique barriers to program participation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if worksite support improves attendance and outcomes in a school-based healthy weight program.
• To determine if paid time off influences parental weight loss and home food environment changes.
• To evaluate the impact of integrated school-parent-worksite interventions.

Main Methods:

• Pilot randomized controlled trial with 38 low-income mothers of kindergartners.
• Intervention group received a school-based program with worksite support (paid time off).
• Outcome measures included parent/child BMI changes, attendance, and home food inventory scores over 12 months.

Main Results:

• Parents receiving worksite support showed greater BMI reduction (1.4 vs. 0.3 units).
• Significantly higher session attendance and improved home food environments were observed in the intervention group.
• Positive child weight changes occurred without direct child intervention.

Conclusions:

• Worksite support is effective in improving adherence and outcomes for school-based healthy weight programs.
• Removing attendance barriers enhances treatment success in low-income, minority populations.
• Integrated interventions involving parents, schools, and worksites show promise for public health.