Abstract
Prevention of childhood obesity is a national priority. Parents influence young children’s healthy lifestyles, so it is paradoxical
that obesity interventions focus primarily on children. Evidence and theory suggest that including parents in interventions
offers promise for effective childhood obesity prevention. This case study engaged parents’ as co-researchers in the design,
implementation and evaluation of an intervention for low-income families with a child enrolled in Head Start. Parent engagement
mechanisms include: (1) targeted partnership development (2) operationalizing a Community Advisory Board (CAB) that was the
key decision making body; (3) a majority of CAB members were parents who were positioned as experts, and (4) addressing structural
barriers to parent participation. Lessons learned are provided for future research, and practice.
that obesity interventions focus primarily on children. Evidence and theory suggest that including parents in interventions
offers promise for effective childhood obesity prevention. This case study engaged parents’ as co-researchers in the design,
implementation and evaluation of an intervention for low-income families with a child enrolled in Head Start. Parent engagement
mechanisms include: (1) targeted partnership development (2) operationalizing a Community Advisory Board (CAB) that was the
key decision making body; (3) a majority of CAB members were parents who were positioned as experts, and (4) addressing structural
barriers to parent participation. Lessons learned are provided for future research, and practice.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10900-012-9573-9
- Authors
- Janine M. Jurkowski, Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
- Lisa L. Green Mills, Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
- Hal A. Lawson, School of Social Welfare and Department of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
- Mary C. Bovenzi, Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
- Ronald Quartimon, Commission on Economic Opportunity, Troy, NY, USA
- Kirsten K. Davison, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Journal Journal of Community Health
- Online ISSN 1573-3610
- Print ISSN 0094-5145