Peer Education About Weight Steadiness

The proposed integrated project will evaluate the effects of an evidence-based extension education program, Family Fitness Program (FFP) grounded in Stages of Change Learning Theory and guided by Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), with and without a peer-education mode of delivery on balancing calories to manage body weight (BW), reducing certain foods and food components, increasing selected foods and nutrients, building healthy eating patterns \[i.e., fundamental principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), 2010\] and SCT variables. Briefly, the 12-week program will target early adolescent children, ages 11-14 years, test a peer-education approach to behavioral change and will be delivered as an after-school program in local middle schools in support of childhood obesity prevention. Data will be collected at baseline (preintervention), after the 12-week program (post-intervention) and 6 months after completion of the program (maintenance).