The 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' randomized controlled trial: efficacy of a healthy lifestyle program for overweight fathers and their children.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' (HDHK) program, which was designed to help overweight fathers lose weight and be a role model of positive health behaviors for their children.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
A total of 53 overweight/obese men (mean (s.d.) age=40.6 (7.1) years; body mass index (BMI)=33.2 (3.9)) and their primary school-aged children (n=71, 54% boys; mean (s.d.) age=8.2 (2.0) years) were randomly assigned (family unit) to either (i) the HDHK program (n=27 fathers, n=39 children) or (ii) a wait-list control group (n=26 fathers, n=32 children).


METHODS
Fathers in the 3-month program attended eight face-to-face education sessions. Children attended three of these sessions.


RESULTS
The primary outcome was fathers' weight. Fathers and their children were assessed at baseline, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up, for weight, waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure, resting heart rate (RHR), objectively measured physical activity and self-reported dietary intake.


RESULTS
Intention-to-treat analysis revealed significant between-group differences at 6 months for weight loss (P<0.001), with HDHK fathers losing more weight (-7.6  kg; 95% confidence interval (CI) -9.2, -6.0; d=0.54) than control group fathers (0.0  kg; 95% CI -1.4, 1.6). Significant treatment effects (P<0.05) were also found for waist circumference (d=0.62), BMI (d=0.53), systolic blood pressure (d=0.92), RHR (d=0.66) and physical activity (d=0.91), but not for dietary intake. In children, significant treatment effects (P<0.05) were found for physical activity (d=0.74), RHR (d=0.51) and dietary intake (d=0.84).


CONCLUSIONS
The HDHK program resulted in significant weight loss and improved health-related outcomes in fathers and improved eating and physical activity among children. Targeting fathers is a novel and efficacious approach to improving health behavior in their children.
Morgan
P J
PJ
School of Education, Faculty of Education & Arts, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia. Philip.Morgan@newcastle.edu.au
Lubans
D R
DR
Callister
R
R
Okely
A D
AD
Burrows
T L
TL
Fletcher
R
R
Collins
C E
CE
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss