Evaluation of a family-centred children’s weight management intervention

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to conduct an in‐depth quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a family‐based weight loss and healthy life style programme for clinically obese children in England.Design/methodology/approachThe mixed method case study evaluation used included obtaining pre and post measurements of anthropometry and a range of attitude and behavioural attributes. The qualitative phase of the study involved in‐depth interviews and focus groups.FindingsThe programme is demanding and resource intensive and designed as an intervention for children needing most help with their weight. Participants included the families of five referred children (n=18 individuals) and the intervention team (n=7). All but one child had reduced BMI centiles at the end of the programme. There were also improvements to a number of self‐report aspects of healthy eating and levels of activity and quality of life, self‐esteem and levels of depression indicators. The qualitative evaluation generated a number of insightful data themes.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations include the case study design and small sample numbers. Also weight loss is an important indicator of any weight management programme's success however the short length of time programme was run is a barrier to seeing any substantive changes in any of the participating children's weights.Practical implicationsThe evaluation conducted gives insights into the positive aspects of the programme and can inform development of similar programmes.Originality/valueThere are few examples of in‐depth and comprehensive quantitative and qualitative approaches used to evaluate this type of intervention.</jats:sec

Working as a community food worker : voices from the inside

Aims: Community food worker (CFW) is one of the new roles that were proposed in the 2004 White Paper Choosing Health: Making Healthier Choices Easier. CFWs are recruited from local communities and generally operate in areas characterized by extreme social deprivation. The aim of this paper is to illuminate the experience of being a CFW in the context of working in a relatively new non-professional role. Methods: As part of an ongoing evaluation of a CFW scheme in the north west of England, a qualitative interview and two focus groups were conducted with CFWs. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken. Results: Emergent issues faced by these new practitioners include: the nature of their role; quantifying success; working with other health professionals; skills and knowledge; and strategies used to work with communities. Conclusion: This study has highlighted some pertinent and previously unreported issues related to the experience of being a CFW, raising questions about their assimilation into the public health workforce and their use in delivering effective public health interventions without further integration