Reducing Obesity Health Disparities in Hispanic Youth

The proposed study will evaluate the efficacy of a family-based obesity prevention intervention in increasing physical activity and improving the quality of dietary intake among Hispanic Youth. Additional primary outcomes that will be examined include drug use and sexual risk behaviors. Secondary outcomes include examining the effects of family functioning and BMI. The knowledge expected to be gained in this study will have strong implications for prevention as well as contribute to the reduction of obesity-related health disparities seen in Hispanic youth.

This study's aims are: AIM 1: To examine the relative efficacy of Familias Unidas, extended to target obesity, in increasing physical activity and improving the quality of dietary intake among overweight Hispanic youth and AIM 2: To examine whether and to what extent family functioning partially mediates the effects of Familias Unidas on physical activity and quality of dietary intake. H1: Familias Unidas will be efficacious, compared to Community Practice, in increasing Hispanic youth's past moderate to vigorous physical activity over time. H2: Familias Unidas will be efficacious, compared to Community Practice, in improving Hispanic youth's past quality dietary intake (defined as decreases in dietary intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, fast foods, and increases in dietary intakes of fresh fruits and vegetables) over time. H3: Familias Unidas' effects on youth's past day moderate to vigorous physical activity and youth's past quality dietary intake will be partially mediated by changes in family functioning over time.