A community-based obesity prevention program for minority children: rationale and study design for Hip-Hop to Health Jr.
BACKGROUND; The increasing prevalence of overweight among children in the United States presents a national health priority. Higher rates of overweight/obesity among minority women place their children at increased risk. Although increased rates of overweight are observed in 4- to 5-year-old children, they are not observed in 2- to 3-year-old children. Therefore, early prevention efforts incorporating families are critical.


METHODS
The primary aim of Hip-Hop to Health Jr. is to alter the trajectory toward overweight/obesity among preschool African-American and Latino children. This 5-year randomized intervention is conducted in 24 Head Start programs, where each site is randomized to either a 14-week dietary/physical activity intervention or a general health intervention.


RESULTS
This paper presents the rationale and design of the study. Efficacy of the intervention will be determined by weight change for the children and parent/caretaker. Secondary measures include reductions in dietary fat and increases in fiber, fruit/vegetable intake, and physical activity. Baseline data will be presented in future papers.


CONCLUSIONS
The problem of overweight/obesity is epidemic in the United States. Behaviors related to diet and physical activity are established early in life and modeled by family members. Early intervention efforts addressing the child and family are needed to prevent obesity later in life. This paper describes a comprehensive, family-oriented obesity prevention program for minority preschool children.
Fitzgibbon
Marian L
ML
Northwestern University Medical School, Evanston, Illinois 60208-1230, USA. mlf056@northwestern.edu
Stolley
Melinda R
MR
Dyer
Alan R
AR
VanHorn
Linda
L
KauferChristoffel
Katherine
K
D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D008913:Minority Groups; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*