Project Fun: Parents And Youth Together

Addressing the epidemic of obesity is a national priority. Currently almost a third of children and two thirds of adults are overweight or obese. Obesity-related chronic health problems originating in childhood are often life-long. Overweight and obesity result from detrimental patterns of dietary intake and physical activity. These obesity-producing lifestyles are established in childhood and are often carried into adulthood, when they become more refractory to change. Research has demonstrated that programs involving parents and children in a family context have been the most effective in preventing and treating childhood obesity.

Research Question 1: How many parents and children agree to participate, complete data collection and complete at least 80% of the intervention? Research Question 2: What reasons are given by those not completing the protocol and what suggestions are offered by those who do complete the protocol? Research Question 3: What is the relationship of parent or child perceptions of authoritative parenting, child perceptions of family models and support for healthy eating, physical activity, or reduced sedentary time, and of parenting stress, self-efficacy, confidence, and eating behavior on child BMI? Research Question 4: Do parent or child perceptions of authoritative parenting, diet, physical activity, fitness or body composition; child perceptions of family models and support for healthy eating, physical activity, or reduced sedentary time; or parent perceptions of parenting stress, self-efficacy, confidence, and eating behavior change across the study time period? Research Question 5: Are there relationships between study completion and child or parent BMI, child or parent gender, parenting stress, self-efficacy, confidence, and eating behavior?