Pilot RCT of an Obesity Intervention for Primary Care Pediatrics: Helping HAND

Inclusion Criteria:

• 1) Child: Healthy 5 to 8 year old child who is overweight (BMI =/>85%), but not morbidly obese (BMI<99%)
• 2) Child attends one of 4 TCPA clinics
• 3) Child is Texas Children's Health Plan member/participant
• 4) Parent who is child's primary care taker able and willing to participate
• 5) Parent and child willing to attend and participate in 6 month intervention sessions and 3 measurement time points over 14 months
• 6) Only one child per family will be eligible to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1) Parent unable to read or write in English or Spanish.
• 2) Parent or child unable to participate in counseling sessions in English or Spanish
• 3) Child with BMI =/> 99%tile
• 4) Child with medical consequences of obesity (such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes) that would require treatment and not prevention.
• 5) Child on medications (such as oral steroids, stimulants, or anti-psychotic medications) that can affect their weight status
• 6) Child with medical problems that could influence their diet or physical activity or make it difficult for that child to participate in a behavior change program (such as mental retardation, neurologic disorders, severe food allergies or severe cardiac or pulmonary disease that restricts their activities).
• 7) Parents who participated in interviews during the developmental phase of Helping HAND
• 8) Family currently participating in other weight treatment of prevention programs