Minimal change in children's lifestyle behaviours and adiposity following a home-based obesity intervention: results from a pilot study
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Nicola J Spurrier1,2,3, Lucinda Bell4, Annabelle Wilson5
1Department of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5000, Australia. nicola.spurrier@health.sa.gov.au.
Insights
This pilot study found an individualized home-based intervention was not feasible for treating childhood obesity. Future efforts must address complex social factors impacting family lifestyle changes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Obesity
- Lifestyle Interventions
- Family Health
Background:
- Overweight and obese children require support for sustainable lifestyle changes.
- Family-based interventions are crucial for improving child diet, activity, and weight status.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of an individualized home-based intervention for overweight/obese children (4-12 years) and their caregivers.
- To assess the impact of a family-specific intervention on the home environment.
Main Methods:
- Pilot study with a pre-post design.
- Individualized, home-based intervention including written recommendations, phone calls, and home visits.
- Data collected at baseline and approximately 6 months later for 24 children.
Main Results:
- Parents reported 43% implementation of recommendations.
- Observed descriptive changes in home environment (e.g., increased fruit/vegetables in lunches).
- Minimal group-level changes in children's diet, activity, or weight status (p > 0.05).
Conclusions:
- The intervention's feasibility was not supported in its current form.
- Future interventions need to target family food/activity environments.
- Addressing complex social circumstances is vital for parental prioritization of healthy behaviors.
Background/Methods:
Families of overweight and obese children require support to make sustainable lifestyle changes to improve their child's diet and activity behaviours and in turn weight status. The aim of this pre-post intervention pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of an individualised home-based intervention for treatment seeking overweight/obese 4-12 year olds and their caregivers. Baseline measures were used to develop a family-specific intervention to improve the quality of the home environment. The intervention was delivered as individualised written recommendations and resources plus phone call and home visit support. Baseline measures were repeated approximately 6 months later.
Results:
Complete data for 24 children was available. Parents reported that 43% of intervention recommendations were implemented 'very much'. Some descriptive changes were observed in the home environment, most commonly including fruit and vegetables in their child's lunchbox, not providing food treats, and restricting children's access to chips/savoury snack biscuits. At the group level, minimal change was detected in children's diet and activity behaviours or weight status (all p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
The study findings did not support intervention feasibility in its current form. Future interventions should target the family food and activity environment, but also utilise an approach to address the complex social circumstances which limit parent's ability to prioritise healthy family lifestyle behaviours.
Trial Registration:
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) 3/12/2014. http://www.ANZCTR.org.au. ACTRN12614001264673.
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