None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
It is well established that parents of primary school aged children substantially influence the food and physical activity home environment through behaviours, attitudes, feeding styles and role modelling. However, the contribution of fathers’ influence on children’s physical activity and eating behaviour is often overlooked.The Healthy Dads Healthy Kids (HDHK) project is based on research that shows the eating habits and exercise routine of fathers and father figures influence the ways in which the whole family approaches their health. The program was developed and successfully trialled at the University of Newcastle, with trial results showing that the major aims of HDHK were achieved. These were (i) to help overweight/obese fathers achieve a healthy weight, and (ii) to improve the activity and eating behaviours of their children (using fathers as the key agents of behaviour change). The intention of the current project is to research the effectivenss of the HDHK program in a community setting.
Interventions
The intervention is the first phase of a two phase project. During phase 1, the intervention was delivered at the school sites of Singleton and Maitland and evaluated using a RCT design. The duration of the intervention is 7 weeks. The intervention involves fathers attending seven 90 minute face to face information sessions (including 3 interactive sessions with their children). The program includes: physical activity components; dietary and nutritional information; a self-monitoring component.
The intervention is the first phase of a two phase project. During phase 1, the intervention was delivered at the school sites of Singleton and Maitland and evaluated using a RCT design. The duration of the intervention is 7 weeks. The intervention involves fathers attending seven 90 minute face to face information sessions (including 3 interactive sessions with their children). The program includes: physical activity components; dietary and nutritional information; a self-monitoring component. More specifically program sessions focus on: 1) sustainable weight loss for men; identification of healthy and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours and explanation of the use of role modelling and positive reinforcement; 2) the importance of fathers for children's physical activity levels; strategies for encouraging physical activity in children; 3) father and child engagement in a variety of physical activities to develop child's confidence and ability in performing various fundamental movement skills; 4) nutritional information to encourage healthy eating for fathers and children; 5) another session for father and child engagement in a variety of physical activities; 6) sustaining healthy eating patterns for the family; 7) father and child engagement activities and closure. Fathers will also receive behavioural procedures over the course of the program via the use of the online website www.calorieking.com.au. The key constructs of social cognitive theory will be operationalised in the sessions (self efficacy, self monitoring, goal setting and social support). Phase 2, a larger scale community roll out of the program evaluated using a non-randomized, prospective design - will be described in more detail elsewhere.
Sponsors
Professor Philip Morgan
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Overweight or obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) 25 and 40 kg/m2) fathers from the Hunter Valley region who have a 5-12 year old child. In addition participants will be required to not participate in other weight loss programs during the study; pass a health-screening questionnaire; and have access to a computer with Internet facilities.
Exclusion criteria
History of major medical problems such as heart disease in the last 5 years, diabetes or orthopaedic or joint problems that would be a barrier to physical activity, taking medications that might interfere with weight loss and children with extreme obesity (BMI z-score >= 4).
Outcome results
None listed