The mFIT Study (Motivating Families With Interactive Technology)

Objectives and Significance. Finding scalable and engaging ways to disseminate obesity treatment and prevention for children has been challenging. Mobile applications (apps) are an engaging way to involve children in health behavior changes, capitalizing on the portability and affordability of delivering health information via mobile devices and the opportunity to use gaming to make health information entertaining. Previous research by our team, including a systematic review of commercially available mobile apps for family weight loss, physical activity, and healthy eating as well as a pilot test of commercially available apps and physical activity monitoring devices with parent-child dyads, revealed significant gaps in the available mobile tools. The proposed study will test the effectiveness of using commercially available apps and a physical activity monitoring device (Tech) compared to the apps and physical activity device plus a mobile website and theory-based family intervention that encourages increased parent-child communication about physical activity and healthy eating and family behavior change (Tech+). The two programs will be administered remotely via email, mobile apps, and a mobile website to parent-child dyads (child 9-12 years old), using over a 3-month intervention period. Parent-child dyads will be randomized to the two behavioral interventions: Tech (50 dyads) or Tech+ (50 dyads). Our proposed research has two aims:

Aim 1: Test the effectiveness of an evidence-based mobile intervention with enhanced parent/child communication (Tech+) versus commercially available products (physical activity and healthy eating apps, physical activity device) alone (Tech) for improvements in physical activity and healthy eating in parents and children.

Aim 2: Examine the impacts of evidence-based family intervention on parent-child relationship quality and communication about physical activity and healthy eating.

Inclusion criteria

• Participants must include 1 child (age 9-12) and their parent or guardian
• Parent not currently meeting physical activity guidelines (participants will be eligible if they currently engage in aerobic activities for less than 2 hours and 30 minutes/week and strength training <2 days/week)
• Own and use a smartphone and/or a tablet with a data plan (e.g., iPhone, iPad)
• Live in the same household as the child
• Are willing to be randomized to one of the two intervention groups
• Willing and able to be physically active

Exclusion criteria

• Has a psychiatric disease, drug or alcohol dependency, or uncontrolled thyroid condition
• Has an eating disorder
• Currently participating in a weight loss program or taking weight loss medications
• Has a major chronic diseases, including: heart disease, past incidence of stroke, uncontrolled diabetes