Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2023

Publisher

BioMed Central

Source Publication

BMC Public Health

Source ISSN

1471-2458

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15005-2

Abstract

Background

The Latinx community is at risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Culturally appropriate, community facing physical activity (P.A.) and nutrition programs may provide the basis for families to improve their health status. Our objectives are as follows: 1. To investigate synergistic factors within this type of program that play a role in creating an environment for participants to learn and practice healthy behaviors. 2. To apply factors into a novel model of components that support health and wellness. 3. To design an intervention for future implementation and evaluation.

Methods

A two-year P.A. and nutrition program, Families Inspired Together 4 Youth Empowered to Succeed (FIT 4 YES), took place in Milwaukee, WI. with Hispanic families from 2018 to 2020 through a community-academic partnership. A pair of interviewers spoke with families who provided insight into the impact of the program. A grounded theory qualitative approach to code the transcripts guided the team to identify overarching themes.

Results

Twenty-four interviews were conducted. Common themes indicated that children had a stronger belief in their abilities and confidence in peer support. Parents noticed their children increasing self-directed healthy behaviors. All families grew in their implementation of health and wellness.

Conclusions

Three main components of FIT 4 YES contributed to its success: opportunities for engagement, supportive relationships, and the interplay of components that emerged from the interviews. Effective programs could include these components to make their outcomes more cohesive within the family. A novel model emerged that builds on the social-ecological model that emphasizes the dynamic interactions between these main components. Additional research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects and response by the community.

Comments

Published version. BMC Public Health, Vol. 23, No. 86 (2023). DOI. © 2023 BioMed Central (BMC). Used with permission.

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Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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