Longitudinal Intervention Effects on Parenting of the Aventuras para Niños Study

Background

Parenting interventions have achieved changes in factors associated with childhood obesity but few have tested the effects on multiple parental influences.

Purpose

This study examined the efficacy of an intervention aimed at improving several dimensions of parenting related to childhood obesity.

Design

The study used a 2 × 2 factorial design.

Setting/participants

In 2003, a sample of 13 Southern California schools was randomized to one of four conditions: micro-environment only, macro-environment only, micro-plus-macro–environment, and no treatment control condition. Participants included 811 predominantly Mexican immigrant/Mexican-American mothers with children in kindergarten through second grade.

Intervention

In both micro conditions, participants received monthly home visits by a promotora over a 7-month period plus monthly mailed newsletters.

Main outcome measures

In 2008, intervention effects were examined on (1) parenting strategies, including limit setting, monitoring, discipline, control, and reinforcement related to children's diet and physical activity; (2) parental support for physical activity; (3) parent-mediated family behaviors such as family meals eaten together and TV watching during family dinners; and (4) perceived barriers and other parent cognitions related to children's eating and activity.

Results

At the 2-year follow-up, significant improvements were observed in three of five parenting strategies, parental support, and two of four parent-mediated family behaviors among parents receiving the micro intervention (i.e., those who received promotora visits and monthly newsletters), as compared with those in the macro-only and control conditions.

Conclusions

Aspects of parenting related to children's risk for obesity and related health outcomes are modifiable with the support of a promotora and print media.