Family Eats:Cancer Prevention for Families
Condition: Healthy
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Poor diets lead to weight problems, and may increase cancer risk. Cancers may develop over a
      long period of time, with some possibly initiating in childhood. Therefore, promoting healthy
      diets and preventing excess weight gain during childhood could be cancer protective. Families
      influence children's dietary behaviors by their actions and controlling the home food
      environment. The internet provides family access to interventions with the convenience of the
      home. An eight-session interactive web-based program promoting a healthy home food
      environment for African-American families with 9-12 year old daughters (Family Eats) was
      previously developed and tested. This study tests whether the Family Eats web program
      improves diet and weight outcomes among 320 African-American families with 8-12 year old
      children. This important study will pioneer a new channel for behavior change intervention
      with African-American families and holds the promise of reaching large numbers of children
      and their families, enabling all to adopt healthy eating behaviors and achieve energy balance
      and reduce cancer risks.
    

Detailed description: 
      Although the burden of cancer is high among individuals of all ethnicities, ethnic
      differences in cancer incidence and mortality exist. African-Americans experience a higher
      incidence of certain cancers compared with the White population, with mortality rates at
      least 40% higher than other populations. Obesity, high fat, and low fruit (F) and vegetable
      (V) intakes increase cancer risks. Cancers may develop over a long period of time, with some
      possibly initiating in childhood; therefore, promoting FV and preventing excess weight gain
      during childhood could be cancer protective. Families influence children's dietary behaviors
      by direct modeling of dietary behaviors, parenting skills around food, and controlling the
      home food environment. However, few intervention studies have focused on family influences on
      dietary behaviors, particularly among ethnic minority groups which may differ in cultural and
      other aspects of family functioning. Unfortunately, low participation rates for
      community-based family interventions suggest that alternate intervention delivery systems be
      investigated. The internet provides family access within the convenience of the home. In a
      previous R21 application, the Principal Investigator developed an eight-session interactive
      web-based program promoting a healthy home food environment for African-American families
      with 9-12 year old daughters (Family Eats). Family Eats was evaluated for feasibility and
      changes in mediating variables were obtained. This proposal will test the efficacy of the
      Family Eats web program to improve FV and dietary fat behavior and weight outcomes among 320
      AA families with 8-12 year old children. This important study will pioneer a new channel for
      behavior change intervention with African-American families and holds the promise of reaching
      large numbers of children and their families, enabling all to adopt healthy eating behaviors
      and achieve energy balance and reduce cancer risks.
    

Intervention name(s): Family Eats
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): 8-session web-based program on healthy eating for African American families
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: diet; African-American families; web-based