Home-based & Technology-centered Childhood Obesity Prevention for Mothers With Young Children

This study aims to adapt and implement a family-centered and technology-based intervention to prevent obesity in young Chinese American children from low-income families with overweight mothers. The proposed study framework is based on the Information Motivation Behavioral Skills Model, which includes the mothers' gained knowledge/information, increased personal and social motivators, and acquired behavioral skills towards behavioral changes. The intervention will be developed with a Community Advisory Committee and validated for cultural appropriateness through a beta-testing process. The validated intervention will be implemented thereafter. Eligible overweight mothers with young Chinese American children (ages three to five years) will be recruited from local day care settings, low-income housing and Head Start programs to participate in the study. Participants will be randomized into either the intervention (N=15) or control group (N=15). Participants in the intervention group will receive the 8-week online interactive sessions and activities delivered through tablet computers. Participants in the control group will receive general health promotion topics relevant to preschool-age children via mailing materials weekly for eight weeks.