Competency-Based Approaches to Community Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Childhood Obesity among Latino Preschool-Aged Children

Abstract

Abstract

Background:

Health behavior change interventions that target childhood obesity in minority populations have led to inconsistent and short-lived results. The purpose of this study was to test a novel intervention that was personalized and family-based in a Latino population to reduce childhood obesity.

Methods:

Competency-Based Approaches to Community Health (COACH) was a randomized controlled trial. Latino parent–child pairs were recruited from community settings in Nashville, TN. Child eligibility criteria included age 3–5 years and a BMI ≥50th percentile. The intervention included 15 weekly, 90-minute sessions followed by 3 months of twice-monthly health coaching calls. The control group was a twice-monthly school readiness curriculum for 3 months. Sessions were conducted by a health coach in local community centers, with groups of 8–11 parent–child pairs. The primary outcome was child BMI trajectory across 12 months, measured at four times. The intervention's effect was assessed by using a longitudinal, linear mixed-effects growth model, adjusting for child gender, baseline child and parent age, and baseline parent BMI and education.

Results:

Of the 305 parent–child pairs assessed for eligibility, 117 were randomized (59 intervention, 58 control). Child BMI was available for 91.5% at 1-year follow-up. Mean baseline child age was 4.2 [standard deviation (SD) = 0.8] years, and 53.8% of children were female. Mean baseline child BMI was 18.1 (SD = 2.6) kg/m². After adjusting for covariates, the intervention's effect on linear child BMI growth was −0.41 kg/m² per year (95% confidence interval −0.82 to 0.01; p = 0.05).

Conclusions:

Over 1-year follow-up, the intervention resulted in slower linear BMI growth for Latino preschool-aged children from poverty.