title: A primary care healthy choices intervention program for overweight and obese school-age children and their parents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The escalating crisis of childhood overweight and obesity creates an urgent demand for evidence-based interventions that can be used by primary care providers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a theory-based Healthy Choices Intervention (HCI) Program with fifteen 9-12 year old overweight and obese children and their parents in a primary care setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-group, 7-week pre-/posttest study design was used. Outcome measures included: body mass index (BMI) percentile, physical activity and nutrition knowledge, beliefs, choices and behaviors, anxiety, depression, self-concept, and social competence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children and parents found the HCI to be useful and informative. Positive effects of the HCI for the children included decreased BMI percentile, increased knowledge, beliefs, choices and behaviors, and self-control. Positive effects of the intervention for the parents included increased knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, and decreased anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence to support the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the HCI with overweight and obese school-age children and their parents within a primary care setting.
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA. Diana.jacobson@asu.edu
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: Bernadette Mazurek
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Melnyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000451:nursing; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012649:Self Concept