Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids UK, a weight management programme for fathers: feasibility RCT

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Obesity Research
• Health Intervention Studies

Background:

• Childhood and parental obesity is a significant public health concern.
• Culturally adapted lifestyle interventions are needed for diverse populations.
• Feasibility studies are crucial for refining interventions before large-scale trials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids United Kingdom (HDHK-UK) weight management program for fathers and their children.
• To evaluate the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomized controlled trial (RCT) for this intervention.

Main Methods:

• A two-arm, randomized feasibility trial with a mixed-methods process evaluation.
• Recruitment of fathers with overweight/obesity and their children (4-11 years) in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
• Intervention involved 9 weekly healthy lifestyle group sessions; control received a leisure centre voucher.

Main Results:

• Recruitment was challenging, achieving 48% of the target sample size.
• Retention at 6 months was 63%; intervention fidelity was high, with 69% attending at least one session.
• Average weight loss in the intervention group was 2.9 kg at 6 months, but significant delivery and follow-up challenges were noted.

Conclusions:

• The HDHK-UK intervention was well-received by participants.
• Significant challenges in recruitment, program delivery, and follow-up were identified.
• The study was deemed not feasible for progression to a full RCT based on predefined criteria.