A Coordinated Parent/Child Dyad Weight Loss Intervention: Dyad Plus (Feasibility)

Brenner FIT pediatric weight management program enrollment. an interdisciplinary, family-based pediatric weight management clinic based upon the Familial Approach to Treatment of Childhood Obesity. Patients are referred by a physician for obesity or overweight with a weight-related comorbidity. Treatment teams are comprised of a pediatrician, counselor, dietitian, and physical activity specialist, with others (e.g., social workers, physical therapists) as needed. The entire family is encouraged to attend all aspects of the treatment program, although only one attending caregiver is required.

Weight loss program for adults/caregivers of those enrolled in Brenner FIT. Participants in the By Design condition (adult caregivers) will be prescribed the Essentials lifestyle intervention which includes tailored dietary and physical activity goals designed to achieve 1-2 lbs./week of weight loss, provided by a multidisciplinary team of medical providers, dietitians, behaviorists, and exercise specialists. A daily calorie restriction of 500 kcal/day is prescribed based on estimates of total energy expenditure (TEE) obtained from a measured resting metabolic rate (RMR) prior to enrollment.

"This component adds four additional strategies: dyad group sessions, one-on-one parent/child communication sessions, joint goal setting/tracking, and home environment assessment. This innovative approach will seek to employ components of motivation and communication theories to increase self-monitoring, positive communication, problem solving, and social support to increase healthy physical activity and eating behaviors to increase the effectiveness of the weight loss programs beyond gains observed in matched controls.~Essentials (adults), with four additional components: dyad group sessions, one-on-one parent/child communication sessions, joint goal setting/tracking, and home environment assessment"