Reducing Health Disparities in Childhood Obesity Using Financial Incentives in Low-income Households
Reducing Health Disparities in Childhood Obesity Using Financial Incentives in Low-income Households
In this study, we will address cost barriers to participating in summer programs and hypothesize this will lead to marked improvements in children's obesogenic behaviors and a reduction in excessive, unhealthy weight gain over summer.
For this study, we will rigorously test the impact of providing access to existing community-operated summer programs on weight status (i.e., BMI z-score) and obesogenic behaviors of 1st-3rd grade children from low-income households. Using a pragmatic, Type II hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized design, we will compare changes in weight status and obesogenic behaviors of children from low-income households randomized to one of two conditions: free summer programming or comparison/control.
Inclusion Criteria:
1st through 3rd grade students in the participating schools.
Exclusion Criteria:
The only exclusion criteria will be the diagnosis of an intellectual disability, such as:
Autism Spectrum Disorder Down Syndrome Fragile X Fetal Alcohol and/or a physical disability, such as wheelchair use
This decision was made because of the added resources required to evaluate these children, as well as the inability to sample enough of these children to adequately draw conclusions.
No other exclusion criteria will be used.