Results
Demographics
Demographic and body composition characteristics for the child participants are presented in Table 1. The mean age for all children was 10.6 years (SD=2.1). While the older children (11-14 years) tended to be taller and heavier then the younger (7-10 years), there were no significant differences found between boys and girls or within the groups for BMI or percent body fat. Therefore, 7-14-year old boys and girls were combined for analysis unless otherwise specified.
Mean BMI and percent body fat was 31.1 (SD=5.6) and 40.8 (SD=8.2), respectively. Ethnic affiliation was reported by 85 (79%) of the participants; there were 66 (78%) white non-Hispanic participants and 19 (22%) non-white participants. Sixty-three (60%) of the children and families had public insurance in the form of MediCal or Healthy Families and 44 (41%) had private insurance. Data were available for 94 parents at baseline. Eighty-seven (93%) of the parents were female and 7 (7%) were male. Male parents were excluded from the analysis due to their small number. The baseline characteristics for the female parents are shown in Table 2. Mean BMI and percent body fat was 33.8 (SD=8.5) and 40.4 (SD=8.6), respectively. 11 (13%) mothers had a normal BMI (18.5-24.9), 23 (26%) were overweight (BMI=25-29.9), 34 (39%) were obese (BMI>30-39.9) and 19 (22%) were extremely obese (BMI > 40).
Anthropometric
Paired samples t-tests were used to test for differences between pre and post height, weight, BMI and percent body fat for child and parent participants (see table 3). There was a mean increase in child height of approximately one-half inch (SD = 0.48) and a mean decrease in weight of one pound (SD=4.2). There was a significant decrease in BMI for child (mean = -0.74; SD = 1; p<.001) and parent participants (mean = -0.47; SD = .08; p<.001) and percent body fat (mean = -1.3; SD = 3.7; p = .001) for child participants. Boys achieved a significantly greater decrease in percent body fat compared with girls (mean = -2.27; SD = 4.2 and mean = -0.50; SD = 2.9; p = .04, respectively). Although percent body fat change was not significant for parents there was a mean decrease of -0.35% (SD=2.1) and parent weight significantly decreased pre to post (mean = -2.7 pounds; SD = 0.85; p <.001). The number of child and parent participants that achieved a decrease or no change in weight, BMI and percentage body fat was significantly greater (p < .01) then the participants that had increases in the relative variables.