Jacob Szeszulski1, Sonia Vega-López2, Michael Todd3, Frank Ray4, Alma Behar5, Maria Campbell6, Adrian Chavez6, Ryan Eckert7, Anabell Lorenzo-Quintero6, Leopoldo Hartmann Manrique6, Noe C Crespo8. 1. Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions, 550 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, 7000 Fannin Street, #1200, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Austin Campus, Michael Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, 1616 Guadalupe Street, Suite 6.300, Austin, TX 78701, USA. 2. Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions, 550 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; Arizona State University, Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, School of Social Work, Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions, 201 North Central Avenue, 33rd Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA. 3. Arizona State University, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, 550 North 3rd Street, Suite 301, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA. 4. City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation, 212 East Alta Vista Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85042, USA. 5. San Diego State University, School of Public Health, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, USA. 6. Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions, 550 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA. 7. Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions, 550 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA; Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, 7979 Wurzbach Rd, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. 8. San Diego State University, School of Public Health, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, USA. Electronic address: ncrespo@sdsu.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Community-based programs have had modest success in combating obesity in Latino populations. Latino families' norms and beliefs about weight often hold larger body sizes to be normal, leading to lower engagement in weight-focused programs. Because improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness confer health benefits, regardless of weight, they offer an alternative to obesity-focused approaches. We describe the rationale and design of Athletes for Life (AFL), a community- and family-based intervention for Latino families. METHODS/ DESIGN: This two-group randomized controlled trial will test the efficacy of AFL for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and diet in 6- to 11-year-old children (N = 160) and their parents, relative to a wait-list control group. Children will participate in 12 weeks of semiweekly sports skill programing and nutrition sessions. Concurrently, parents will participate in sports-focused activity and behavior change sessions that focus on nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and healthy eating. Cardiovascular fitness will be measured by the 1-mile run and 3-min step-test for both parents and children. Secondary outcomes include changes in objectively measured physical activity, dietary measures, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk (waist circumference, blood pressure, blood lipids, glucose, insulin, and C-reactive protein). DISCUSSION: AFL, implemented with a strong community partnership, will provide a test of the efficacy of culturally tailored intervention programming to promote positive health behaviors and improve health outcomes in Latino families. Intervention content, structure, and messaging will provide guidance for future methods to engage Latino families in health promotion programs that highlight their cultural norms, and beliefs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT03761589 (12/3/2018).
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Community-based programs have had modest success in combating obesity in Latino populations. Latino families' norms and beliefs about weight often hold larger body sizes to be normal, leading to lower engagement in weight-focused programs. Because improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness confer health benefits, regardless of weight, they offer an alternative to obesity-focused approaches. We describe the rationale and design of Athletes for Life (AFL), a community- and family-based intervention for Latino families. METHODS/ DESIGN: This two-group randomized controlled trial will test the efficacy of AFL for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and diet in 6- to 11-year-old children (N = 160) and their parents, relative to a wait-list control group. Children will participate in 12 weeks of semiweekly sports skill programing and nutrition sessions. Concurrently, parents will participate in sports-focused activity and behavior change sessions that focus on nutrition, chronic disease prevention, and healthy eating. Cardiovascular fitness will be measured by the 1-mile run and 3-min step-test for both parents and children. Secondary outcomes include changes in objectively measured physical activity, dietary measures, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk (waist circumference, blood pressure, blood lipids, glucose, insulin, and C-reactive protein). DISCUSSION: AFL, implemented with a strong community partnership, will provide a test of the efficacy of culturally tailored intervention programming to promote positive health behaviors and improve health outcomes in Latino families. Intervention content, structure, and messaging will provide guidance for future methods to engage Latino families in health promotion programs that highlight their cultural norms, and beliefs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT03761589 (12/3/2018).
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