Grant: Operating Grant

Over 2 million Canadian children meet criteria for weight management. While many researchers have tested family-based interventions to improve health, very few have studied family factors that underlie families' decisions to initiate or continue weight management care. Using a qualitative, multi-centre design, we will explore the following questions: (1) After being referred for pediatric weight management, what factors are involved in families' decisions regarding whether or not to initiate weight management care? (2) After commencing pediatric weight management, what factors are involved in families' decisions regarding whether or not to continue weight management care? We will recruit 120 obese children/youth and 120 parents (to conduct 240 individual interviews) from Vancouver, Edmonton, Hamilton, and Montreal. Participants will be recruited into one of the following groups: (1) Initiators (n=10 families/site): referred for weight management within the past 6 months and did follow-up the referral with at least one clinic appointment; (2) Non-Initiators (n=5 families/site): referred for weight management within the past 6 months and did not follow-up the referral with a clinical appointment; (3) Continuers (n=10 families/site): completed a formal weight management intervention within the past 12 months and did continue with follow-up care for at least 6 months; and (4) Non-Continuers (n=5 families/site): completed a formal weight management intervention within the past 12 months and did not continue with follow-up care. Demographic and anthropometric data will also be retrieved from families. This study will help us to better understand families' experiences so we can optimize the care they receive. As well, data from this study will be used in future research to develop a survey that health care professionals offering weight management care can use to understand and improve their own health services.