The increasing rate of obesity has become a major public health concern with national reports indicating 40% of African American adolescents are now overweight/obese. Little is known about effective weight loss interventions in ethnic minority adolescents. However, research has shown that ethnic minorities attend fewer intervention sessions, have higher attrition rates and lose less weight compared to Caucasians. Two fundamental problems related to this lack of progress are 1) lack of appropriate content of weight loss interventions for African American adolescents that integrate cultural issues, parenting skills, and motivational strategies for long-term change and, 2) poor dose of weight loss interventions because of participant fatigue and drop out. While previous weight loss studies for adolescents have been long lasting (12-25 weeks), our team developed a weight loss program that is a relatively brief (8-week) face-to-face intervention that integrates motivational (autonomy-support) and positive parenting skills (monitoring, social support, positive communication skills) for reducing z-BMI in overweight African American adolescents. Our team recently conducted a pilot study testing the feasibility of an 8-week on-line culturally tailored intervention, Thus, the goal of this project is to conduct a randomized controlled efficacy trial to address the problems with past studies by 1) making the face-to-face group intervention shorter, 2) using an on-line component to compliment the group-based intervention for increasing dose, and by 3) tailoring a motivational and parenting skills program directly to parents and adolescents skill levels and cultural background. 520 overweight African American adolescents and their parents will be recruited to participate. Phase I of the trial will test the efficacy of an 8-week face-to-face group randomized trial comparing motivational plus family-based weight loss (M+FWL) to a basic health (BH) education program on reducing z-BMI and improving diet and physical activity (PA) in overweight African American adolescents. In phase II of the trial participants will be re-randomized to either an 8-week on-line intervention or a control on-line program resulting in a 2 (M+FWL vs. BH group) x 2 (intervention vs. control on-line program) factorial design. A 6-month follow-up will examine whether adolescents in the 8-week M+FWL group plus 8-week on-line intervention program will show the greatest maintenance in reducing z-BMI.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
241
This group will receive the comprehensive motivational and family weight loss intervention.
This group will receive the comprehensive basic health education intervention.
Participants will receive the online tailored weight loss intervention program after they have either received the motivational plus family weight loss program or basic health face-to-face program.
Participants will receive the online control program after they have either received the motivational plus family weight loss program or the basic health education program.
Obesity Research Group
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Change in Body Mass Index (z-BMI) in Adolescents
We are investigating whether there is change in body mass index (BMI; age- and sex-adjusted based upon CDC norms) from baseline to 2 months and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL vs. BH groups) in change in BMI in adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 2 months
Change in Body Mass Index (z-BMI) in Adolescents
We are investigating whether there is change in body mass index (BMI; age- and sex-adjusted based upon CDC norms) from baseline to 4 months and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in change in BMI in adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 4 months
Change in Body Mass Index (z-BMI) in Adolescents
We are investigating intervention effects on change in body mass index (BMI; age- and sex-adjusted based upon CDC norms) from baseline to 6 months post-intervention. Specifically, we will examine whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in maintenance in BMI in adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 6-month follow-up
Change in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) in Parents and Adolescents
Minutes per day; We are investigating whether there is change of physical activity from baseline to 4 months and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in change in MVPA in parents and adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 4 months
Change of 24 Hour Dietary Recall (NDRS) of Kcals in Parents and Adolescents
We are investigating whether there is change of Kcals at 4 months. We are looking at these effects for fruit and vegetable intake, as well as total fat intake and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in change in diet in parents and adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 4 months
Change in Psychosocial Variables in Adolescents
Examine the effects of psychosocial variables (autonomy-support, monitoring, communication) as potential mediators of the intervention effects on changes in z-BMI, dietary intake, and MVPA in adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 4 months
Change in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in Adolescents
Minutes per day; We are investigating whether there is change of physical activity at the 6-month follow-up and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in change in MVPA in adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 6-month Follow-up
Change of 24 Hour Dietary Recall (NDRS) of Kcals in Adolescents
We are investigating whether there is change of Kcals at 6-month follow-up. We are specifically looking at effects for fruit and vegetable intake, as well as total fat intake in adolescents, and vegetable intake, as well as total fat intake and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in change in diet in adolescents.
Time frame: Baseline to 6-month Follow-up
Change in Body Mass Index (z-BMI) in Parents
We are investigating whether there is change in body mass index (BMI; age- and sex-adjusted based upon CDC norms) from baseline to 4 months and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in change in BMI in parents.
Time frame: Baseline to 4 months
Change in Body Mass Index (z-BMI) for Parents
We are investigating whether there is change in body mass index (BMI; age- and sex-adjusted based upon CDC norms) from baseline to 6 months and whether there are group differences (i.e., M+FWL \& Intervention online, M+FWL \& Control online, BH \& Intervention online, BH \& Control online) in change in BMI in parents.
Time frame: Baseline to 6 Months Follow-up
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