UCSF

A pretest and posttest study design was used to test a healthy weight management intervention with overweight and/or obese Chinese American children. Children attended 8-weekly small group sessions while parents attended a single 2-hour parent workshop. Children had their weight, height, blood pressure, waist and hip circumference, and fast lipids data assessed and completed several questions questionnaires regarding food choices, self-efficacy, and knowledge at baseline, 2 months, and 6 months. Parents completed questionnaires regarding demographic, acculturation level and family environment. We found significant reduction of body mass index, waist/hip ratio, systolic blood pressure and improvement of child's eating style, physical activity knowledge, self-efficacy, and children's quality of life at 6-month follow-up. In addition, significant improvement of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decrease in triglyceride were found at 6-month follow-up. Improvement of nutrition self-efficacy and decreased stimulus environment were associated with decreased body mass index in overweight and obese Chinese American children.