PALS-CATCH Intervention for Obesity Prevention Among At-risk Toddlers

PALS-CATCH Intervention for Obesity Prevention Among At-risk Toddlers

The purpose of this study is to learn whether a combination of two research-proven programs, a responsive caregiving parenting program and a childhood obesity prevention program, will have an effect on toddlers' healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors. Investigators hypothesize that the children participating in the intervention will have significantly lower BMI z-scores, lower intake of sugar sweetened beverages, and increased number of servings of fruits and vegetables, and minutes of physical activity.

Inclusion Criteria:

• child is 2 - 3 years at the time of enrollment
• child is >85th percentile for BMI
• ability of the parents to speak and read in English at the 4th grade level
• provide primarily in-home care for the children at the time of enrollment
• child is Medicaid eligible

Exclusion Criteria:

• acute secondary complications of obesity for child (e.g., severe respiratory insufficiency)
• child with endocrine abnormalities
• child with severe obesity (>99.5th BMI percentile)
• children who have participated in an obesity treatment program within the past year
• parent with significant sensory impairments (e.g. deaf, blind)
• parent with BMI >40.0