Case study: Behavior changes in the family-focused obesity prevention HOME Plus program

The purpose of this case study is to describe two successful HOME Plus participants and highlight how an intervention with individual and group components can help families make lifestyle changes that result in improvements in child weight status.

One hundred and sixty families participated in the HOME Plus study, and were randomized to either a control or intervention group.

Two successful HOME Plus participants were chosen because of their healthful changes in weight status and behavior and high engagement in the program.

Data were collected at baseline and postintervention, 1 year later. Data included height, weight, home food inventory, dietary recalls, and psychosocial surveys.

Families in the intervention group participated in cooking and nutrition education sessions, goal-setting activities, and motivational interviewing telephone calls to promote behavioral goals associated with meal planning, family meal frequency, and healthfulness of meals and snacks.

Analysis of the families' behaviors showed that Oliver (fictitious name) experienced changes in nutritional knowledge and cooking skill development while Sophia's (fictitious name) changes were associated with healthful food availability and increased family meal frequency.

These cases show that offering a multicomponent, family-focused program allows participants to select behavior strategies to fit their unique family needs.