Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Father Participation in an Adolescent Obesity Prevention Program With Multiple Delivery Methods.

Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables was a Latino family-based obesity prevention intervention implemented from 2017 to 2020 across eight programs in-person only, in a blended format (online/in-person), and online only. The intervention aimed to enhance father parenting skills to improve adolescent diet and activity behaviors. Mothers were encouraged to attend. Factors associated with participation were explored using a mixed-methods, qualitative (focus group/individual interviews by Zoom) and quantitative (process evaluation) design. Eleven focus group and 24 individual interviews were completed after participation with 24 fathers, 27 mothers, and 40 adolescents with responses not sorted by delivery method before analysis. Binomial logistic regression models examined associations between fathers' program completion and predictor variables of delivery characteristics, father demographic characteristics, and family attendance patterns. Parents were married (96% fathers, 76% mothers), had low income, a high school education or less (68% fathers, 81% mothers), and had lived in the United States a mean of 19 years. Parents were motivated to participate to improve health, and to be involved with and improve communication with their child. Common barriers to participation were work and life priorities and programmatic factors including scheduling conflicts and technological issues. Participation was greater for fathers attending sessions in-person compared with online only (OR = 11.6). Fathers were more likely to participate if they attended sessions with family members vs. not attending with family members (OR = 7.2). To maximize participation, findings suggest involving multiple parents/caregivers and adolescents, addressing contextual and programmatic barriers, and promoting benefits of better health and relations with family members.

Feasibility of a remotely delivered program to prevent Latino adolescent obesity in the Midwestern USA.

Adolescent obesity prevention programs focusing on Latino fathers may be useful to address Latino adolescent obesity. Adolescent obesity has become an urgent issue because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, with limited ability to deliver prevention programs in-person. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a community-based, adolescent obesity prevention program for Latino father-adolescent dyads delivered remotely, adapted from the in-person Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables program. A quasi-experimental design was used to assess the feasibility of the remotely delivered program based on criteria adapted from other feasibility studies of community-based health promotion programs for Latino families. Father-adolescent dyads were recruited at two sites in a Midwestern state during 2020; mothers were also encouraged to participate. Recruitment met the feasibility criteria (65 families expressed interest between August and October) with 26 families participating in this study. The retention ratio (percentage of participants who completed a post-session survey to those who completed the baseline survey) among fathers was acceptable (77%), while a lower percentage of adolescents were retained (68%). The session attendance ratio (number of sessions attended of the eight total sessions offered) was higher among adolescents (88%) and lower among fathers (68%) compared to the criteria. Satisfaction ratings (≥88%) and completeness of data collection at both baseline and post-session survey (≥76%) were acceptable. Favorable results were obtained for parent outcomes, while adolescent outcomes were not favorably changed. This remotely delivered adolescent obesity prevention program was feasible for Latino fathers; however, additional engagement with adolescents may be needed.

Adolescent obesity became a more urgent issue because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic with less physical activity under lockdown, more food insecure families and limited in-person access to programs. Our study concluded that a remotely delivered version of a community-based, adolescent obesity prevention program for Latino father­adolescent dyads (the Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables program) was feasible based on participation, satisfaction and parent outcomes. Additional engagement in activities to improve adolescent health behaviors may be needed to improve the overall effectiveness of the program.