title: Two Pilot Randomized Trials To Examine Feasibility and Impact of Treated Parents as Peer Interventionists in Family-Based Pediatric Weight Management.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To examine feasibility and initial efficacy of having previously treated parents serve as peer interventionists in family-based behavioral weight management treatment (FBT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 7-11 years with overweight/obesity and parents (n = 59 families) were enrolled in one of two pilot trials, the EPICH (Engaging Parents in Child Health) randomized trial comparing professional versus peer FBT delivery or the Parent Partnership trial, which provided professionally delivered FBT to families (first generation) and then randomly assigned first generation parents to either be or not be peer interventionists for subsequent families (second generation). Efficacy (child zBMI change), feasibility, and costs for delivering FBT, and impacts of being a peer interventionist were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In EPICH, families receiving professional versus peer intervention had similar decreases in child zBMI and parent BMI, with markedly lower costs for peer versus professional delivery. In Parent Partnership, families receiving peer intervention significantly decreased weight status, with very preliminary evidence suggesting better maintenance of child zBMI changes if parents served as peer interventionists. Previously treated parents were willing, highly confident, and able to serve as peer interventionists in FBT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two pilot randomized clinical trials suggest parents-as-peer interventionists in FBT may be feasible, efficacious, and delivered at lower costs, with perhaps some additional benefits to serving as a peer interventionist. More robust investigation is warranted of peer treatment delivery models for pediatric weight management.
authors.affiliation: 1 Seattle Children's Research Institute , Seattle, WA.|2 Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington , Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Saelens
authors.affiliation: 1 Seattle Children's Research Institute , Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Kelley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.affiliation: 1 Seattle Children's Research Institute , Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Psychology, University of Washington , Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Simoni
authors.affiliation: 1 Seattle Children's Research Institute , Seattle, WA.|2 Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington , Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Davene R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004032:Diet; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D015444:Exercise; D005190:Family; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: children; cost effectiveness; family-based treatment; obesity; peer intervention