title: Culturally tailored, family-centered, behavioral obesity intervention for Latino-American preschool-aged children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the effect of a culturally tailored, family-centered, short-term behavioral intervention on BMI in Latino-American preschool-aged children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized controlled trial, 54 parent-child dyads were allocated to the intervention and 52 dyads were allocated to an alternative school-readiness program as the control condition. Parent-child dyads were eligible if the parent self-defined Latino, was at least 18 years old, had a 2- to 6-year-old child not currently enrolled in another healthy lifestyle program, had a valid telephone number, and planned on remaining in the city for the next 6 months. The Salud Con La Familia (Health with the Family) program consisted of 12 weekly 90-minute skills-building sessions designed to improve family nutritional habits and increase physical activity. Both programs were conducted in a community recreation center serving an urban neighborhood of mostly Spanish-speaking residents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-two percent of participating preschool-aged children were overweight or obese. Controlling for child age, gender, and baseline BMI, the effect of the treatment condition on postintervention absolute BMI was B = -0.59 (P < .001). The intervention effect seemed to be strongest for obese children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A skills-building, culturally tailored intervention involving parent-child dyads changed short-term early growth patterns in these Latino-American preschool-aged children. Examining long-term effects would be a prudent next step.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-9225, USA. shari.barkin@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Shari L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Barkin
authors.forename: Sabina B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Gesell
authors.forename: Eli K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Po'e
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Escarfuller
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tempesti
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003469:Culture; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D015431:Weight Loss