Healthy Weight at Home: A Pilot Weight Loss Program for Parents of Children With a Disability

Healthy Weight at Home: A Pilot Weight Loss Program for Parents of Children With a Disability

The objective of this study is to design, implement, and pilot a lifestyle-based, 12-week, weight loss program for parents of children with a disability. This weight loss program supports weight loss among parents. It is a first step towards a parent-only approach to promote healthier weight among children with a disability.

Inclusion Criteria:

Parent

• age ≥18
• English speaking
• completion of screening and baseline data collection
• BMI ≥ 25 and weight < 300lbs (weight limit due to scale limitations)
• willing to lose weight through physical activity, weight tracking and decreased caloric intake
• willing to make changes at home to facilitate a healthy weight
• willing to complete 12 weekly weight loss video coaching sessions (20 minutes/session)
• willing to use Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, or WebEx for regular intervention contact
• Internet/ cellular plan that is sufficient for weekly program video conferencing
• willing to use the study scale with cellular technology to report weights at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks.
• willing to use the study scale with cellular technology at least weekly during the study (12 weeks)
• completion of screening and baseline data collection

Child

• age 8-18
• has a disability
• assent is required if the child is capable and willing to have height and weight taken by the parent at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria:

• parent or child: previously diagnosed eating disorder, or treatment for an eating disorder
• parent: currently pregnant or plan to get pregnant in the next 6 months
• parent: planned weight loss surgery or procedure in the next 6 months