The Resource Information Program for Parents on Lifestyle and Education

Childhood obesity is an urgent public health issue. Roughly one-quarter of Canadian children are overweight, putting them at risk for chronic diseases. Because most families access health services in primary care, it is an ideal venue for obesity prevention. Specifically, programs in primary care can prevent unhealthy weight gain in healthy weight children (primary prevention) AND reduce unhealthy weight gain in children who are already overweight (secondary prevention). Parents play a key role in children's health, so it is vital to include parents in strategies to prevent childhood obesity. The following objectives of this study are to: (i) develop a web-based, brief program for parents as an educational tool to motivate parents to support healthy lifestyles in children, and access community resources and health services that can prevent childhood obesity; (ii) assess the acceptability of the program using focus groups with parents, and pediatric-focused health care professionals, trainees, and administrators; and (iii) recruit parents (n=200) in primary care and collect data at baseline and 1-month follow-up to explore if the program led to changes in parents' motivation to support their children's lifestyle habits, and families' use of resources and health services to prevent childhood obesity. It is hypothesized that the developed screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) will (i) encourage parents of healthy weight children to seek resources to eat healthfully and be physically active to maintain their weight status (primary [1°] prevention), and (ii) guide parents of unhealthy weight children to access educational tools and community services to reduce their child's obesity and associated health risks (secondary [2°] prevention). By providing families with tailored feedback, practical educational tools, and information on local health services, this research will help to address oft-cited barriers primary care clinicians commonly report when providing effective obesity-related health services, and encourage family self-management of obesity-related behaviors.