A Program Evaluation of a Family-Based Healthy Weight Program for Overweight and Obese Children and Their Families

This project’s purpose was to complete a program evaluation of the Building Healthy Families (BHF) program to determine its effect on children and their families’ health outcomes. The specific aims of success were 1) an improved perception of health-related quality of life for children and parents and 2) decreased body mass index (BMI) percentiles for age and sex in children from baseline measurements and scores compared to measurements and scores at 3 months and 6 months of program completion. The project was completed in a community setting on the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Western Nebraska campus, and the population included families from Gering and Scottsbluff Nebraska. Data collected included participant heights, weights, BMI percentiles, and health-related quality of life based on Kid-KINDL and Kid-KINDL Parent questionnaire responses obtained throughout the program. Results were limited to descriptive information on child and parent participant ages, BMIs, and KINDL scores due to low enrollment and poor retention. Mean child and parent BMI values showed a slightly downward trend from baseline through 6 months after program start, and KINDL scores remained consistent. However, enrollment was low, and attrition was high, which impacted the planned analysis of results.