Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Child Obesity Treatment Using Community Health Workers

Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Child Obesity Treatment Using Community Health Workers: the Role of Parental Bandwidth in Treatment Effectiveness

The goal of this small pilot study is to test the feasibility of combining a three-month intervention of working with a community health worker (CHW) to address social risk factors for patients prior to beginning a group weight management program for childhood obesity -- Promoting Health in Teens and Kids (PHIT Kids)

Inclusion Criteria:

• Family must have one major social risk factor on the Protocol for Responding to & Assessing Patients' Assets, Risks & Experiences (PRAPARE) of the 14 modifiable risk factors
• Child aged 8 through 12 years of age
• Child with BMI% at 85th percentile or higher and less than the 120% of the 95th percentile (overweight or class 1 obesity)
• Child must live with parent/guardian at least 5 out of the 7 days on average (70% of the time)
• Child and parent able to speak English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Child on medications known to cause ongoing weight gain (e.g., atypical anti-psychotics, chronic prednisone, insulin)
• Child on other medications know to affect weight if dose and BMI z-score has not been stable for 3 months.
• Diabetes or other disease that has a significant effect on diet, physical activity, or ability to take part in trial activities besides obesity (does not included treated or mild depression or anxiety, limited food allergies or mild physical activity limitations)
• For parents: new MI, stroke or cancer diagnosis (excluding localized skin cancers) in past 6 months, history of bariatric surgery within the past 3 years, pregnancy in last 6 months or planned within 1 year
• Child or parent has significant developmental or cognitive impairments or other significant medical issue that would interfere with ability to participate or complete assessment
• Parent or child has significant physical limitation
• Parent/child planning to move to from Children's Mercy Kansas City (CMKC) service area