While the prevalence of childhood obesity may have started to plateau for some groups of children, other groups such as low-income and minority children are experiencing increases in childhood obesity. These growing disparities may be linked to unanswered questions regarding the home environment and childhood obesity. For example, research has shown that healthful food availability/accessibility in the home, frequent family meals, and authoritative parenting style are associated with healthful dietary intake, bette psychosocial health, and fewer unhealthy weight control behaviors in youth, but findings are inconsistent across studies with minority and low-income families. These conflicting findings suggest that mixed- methods studies are needed for an in-depth examination of the home environments of diverse families to identify potential explanatory mechanisms of childhood obesity that may have been overlooked in prior research. In addition, previous studies have not included state-of-the-art measures that may help illuminate factors in the home environment that differ by race/ethnicity. The primary objective of this study is to identify how familial factors, including interpersonal relationships that exist between family members, of racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse children act as risk or protective factors for predicting childhood obesity. To achieve this objective, a two-phased incremental mixed-methods approach will be used. Phase I (yrs. 1-2) will include in-home observations of diverse families (n=120; 20 each of African American, American Indian, Hispanic, Hmong, Somali and white families) to identify individual, dyadic (i.e., parent/child; siblings), and familial factors that are associated with, o moderate associations with, childhood obesity. The in-home observations, using our community-based participatory research partners, will include: (1) an interactive observational family task and family interview; (2) ecological momentary assessment (EMA) 17 of parent stress, mood and parenting practices; and (3) child accelerometry and 24-hour dietary recalls. Using state-of-the-art measures, such as EMA, will allow for identifying within-day fluctuations in parenting practices or parent stress levels, which may help to identify nuances within the home environment that amplify or exacerbate childhood obesity risk. Results from the in-home observations will be used for rich analyses and to inform the development of a culturally-appropriate survey in Phase II (yrs. 3- 5). The survey will be administered at two time points to a diverse sample of up to two caregivers (n=2400) of children ages 5-7. Individual, dyadic, and familial factors that are longitudinally associated with child BMIz score and weight-related behaviors will be identified. Phase I and II recruitment will occur via the electronic Primary Care Research Network in Minnesota primary care clinics (n=82). This comprehensive evaluation of diverse home environments will identify potential factors that increase childhood obesity risk in order to create culturally-tailored interventions that will be effective in reducing childhood obesty disparities.

Public Health Relevance

This two-phased incremental mixed-methods study will address unanswered questions related to the home environment and childhood obesity disparities. Phase I (n=120 diverse families) includes in-home observations to gain an in-depth understanding of aspects of the home environment that are relevant to childhood obesity. Phase II (n=2400 diverse caregivers) examines longitudinal risk and protective factors for childhood obesity.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01HL126171-01A1
Application #
8815844
Study Section
Psychosocial Risk and Disease Prevention Study Section (PRDP)
Program Officer
Pratt, Charlotte
Project Start
2014-12-01
Project End
2019-11-30
Budget Start
2014-12-01
Budget End
2015-11-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Department
Family Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
555917996
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55455
Trofholz, Amanda C; Thao, Mai See; Donley, Mia et al. (2018) Family meals then and now: A qualitative investigation of intergenerational transmission of family meal practices in a racially/ethnically diverse and immigrant population. Appetite 121:163-172
Berge, Jerica M; Fertig, Angela; Tate, Allan et al. (2018) Who is meeting the Healthy People 2020 objectives?: Comparisons between racially/ethnically diverse and immigrant children and adults. Fam Syst Health 36:451-470
Berge, Jerica M; Tate, Allan; Trofholz, Amanda et al. (2018) Examining variability in parent feeding practices within a low-income, racially/ethnically diverse, and immigrant population using ecological momentary assessment. Appetite 127:110-118
Berge, Jerica M; Tate, Allan; Trofholz, Amanda et al. (2018) Examining within- and across-day relationships between transient and chronic stress and parent food-related parenting practices in a racially/ethnically diverse and immigrant population : Stress types and food-related parenting practices. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 15:7
Berge, Jerica M; Tate, Allan; Trofholz, Amanda et al. (2017) Momentary Parental Stress and Food-Related Parenting Practices. Pediatrics 140:
Ochoa, Alejandra; Berge, Jerica M (2017) Home Environmental Influences on Childhood Obesity in the Latino Population: A Decade Review of Literature. J Immigr Minor Health 19:430-447
Berge, Jerica M; Trofholz, Amanda; Tate, Allan D et al. (2017) Examining unanswered questions about the home environment and childhood obesity disparities using an incremental, mixed-methods, longitudinal study design: The Family Matters study. Contemp Clin Trials 62:61-76