Abstract
Roberts Academy is an urban elementary school consisting of primarily Hispanic students from lower socioeconomic homes. We were unable to provide weight management and healthy lifestyle counseling for many of the families that were referred to our obesity program, and more broadly were missing the at-risk families. The purpose of the Fit Kit intervention was to improve the health behaviors of the entire family at home and to reduce barriers through this comprehensive treatment and prevention approach. A Fit Kit included a shelf-stable, low-cost, healthy meal for a family of four, a portioned plate, and a soccer beach ball. Families also received monthly educational materials, healthy meal recipes, information about community food and exercise resources, and were invited to attend a culturally adapted cooking experience. No significant differences were seen between pre- and post-intervention survey questions. Post-Fit-Kit surveys showed that the majority of families prepared and liked the meal, found the recipes helpful, and used the portioned plate supplied with the kit. Overall, we conclude this is a feasible method for distributing tangible educational tools to families, but need more information about how it impacts food selection and purchasing behaviors of those families. While the Fit Kit proved to be feasible and acceptable in this test of concept, future studies are needed to further evaluate its impact in a more rigorous scientific manner.
Highlights
Childhood obesity is a major public health issue both at the national level and locally in Cincinnati, Ohio
Roberts Academy includes grades pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade, and all students enrolled during the 2017–2018 school year, regardless of weight status, and their families were targeted with the Fit Kit Intervention (n = 809)
We demonstrated that this is an acceptable and innovative model for distributing tangible healthy eating and physical activity materials to families
Summary
Childhood obesity is a major public health issue both at the national level and locally in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is estimated that approximately one third of American children are overweight or obese [1]. The prevalence of overweight and obesity for children in the greater Cincinnati area is higher than national childhood obesity prevalence estimates [2]. Inadequate consumption of fruit and vegetables, excessive intake of sugary beverages, and low fiber intake are primary dietary factors that, when combined with inadequate physical activity, have been shown to lead to higher body mass index and weight in children and adolescents [3]. It is well documented that when families immigrate to America, fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity levels often decrease [7,8,9,10]. Multiple explanations have been given for changes in food provided in the home, such as lack of money to Reports 2020, 3, 4; doi:10.3390/reports3010004 www.mdpi.com/journal/reports
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