Purpose-To examine the feasibility and efficacy of a theory-driven and family-based program delivered online to promote healthy lifestyles and weights in Chinese American adolescents.Methods-A randomized controlled study of a Web-based intervention was developed and conducted in 54 Chinese American adolescents (ages, 12-15 years) and their families. Data on anthropometry, blood pressure, dietary intake, physical activity, and knowledge and self-efficacy regarding physical activity and nutrition were collected at baseline and 2, 6, and 8 months after the baseline assessment. Data were analyzed using linear mixed modeling.Results-The intervention resulted in significant declines in waist-to-hip ratio and diastolic blood pressure and increases in vegetable and fruit intake, level of physical activity, and knowledge about physical activity and nutrition. Conclusions-ThisWeb-based behavior program for Chinese American adolescents and their families appears feasible and effective in the short term. Longer term effects remain to be determined. This type of program can be adapted for other minority ethnic groups who are at high risk for overweight and obesity and have limited access to programs that promote healthy lifestyles.

There is a scarcity of resources and studies that utilize targeted weight management interventions to engage parents via mHealth tools targeting obese children and adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities (MIDs) extended from school to a home setting. To test the feasibility and acceptability of a school-based weight program (SBWMP) involving parents via mHealth tools designed to reduce weight, enhance knowledge and adopt healthy lifestyles, and thereby achieve better psychosocial well-being among children and adolescents with MIDs. Four special schools were randomly assigned as intervention or control schools. Students from the intervention group (n = 63) were compared to those in the control group (n = 52), which comprised those with usual school planned activities and no parental involvement. Demographics were considered as covariates in a general linear model, an ordinal regression model and a binary logistic regression model analyzing the relationships between the SBWMP and the outcome variables at baseline (T0) and six months later (T1). Body weight, body mass index, and triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness were lower in the intervention group compared to the control group, although the differences were not statistically significant. There was a positive and direct impact of the SBWMP on students’ health knowledge and psychological impacts in the intervention group. The SBWMP extended to the home involving parents via mHealth tools is a feasible and acceptable program for this group with MIDs and their parents.

A cross-sectional study design was used to examine factors that contribute to high relative weight in children in Taiwan. A total sample of 331 Chinese children (ages 7 and 8) and their parents participated in the study. Parents completed questionnaires regarding demographic information, family functioning, parenting styles, physical activity, and dietary intake. Children completed physical fitness tests and questionnaires regarding physical activity, dietary intake, coping strategies, and self-esteem. The weight-for-length index was used to measure children's relative weight. The findings revealed that four variables contributed to higher weight-for-length index in boys compared with girls and explained 37.7% of the variance: high maternal body mass index, poor aerobic capacity, healthy family role functioning, and poor family affective responsiveness. Two variables were found to contribute to higher weight-for-length index in girls and explained 12.8% of the variance: high household income and high maternal body mass index. Taken together, the results indicate the importance of assessment of children's weight status, maternal weight status, and family functioning as part of routine child health care and the need for developmentally appropriate and gender-specific approaches to prevent childhood obesity.

Aim To construct a model addressing the pathways from baseline diabetes distress, attribution of peer reactions, parenting style and 3‐month self‐management to 6‐month glycated haemoglobin levels in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Design A prospective design was adopted. Methods A total of 177 adolescents aged 10–19 with type 1 diabetes were enrolled from four hospitals in Taiwan. Diabetes distress, attribution of peer reactions and parenting style were collected at baseline, self‐management was collected at the third month and glycated haemoglobin levels were collected at the sixth month. Data were collected from May 2015–June 2016. Results Baseline diabetes distress and 3‐month self‐management directly affected 6‐month glycated haemoglobin levels. Baseline attribution of peer reactions directly affected baseline diabetes distress and 3‐month self‐management; also, it indirectly affected 6‐month glycated haemoglobin levels through 3‐month self‐management. Baseline parenting style directly affected baseline diabetes distress, baseline attribution of peer reactions, 3‐month self‐management and 6‐month glycated haemoglobin levels; it also indirectly affected 6‐month glycated haemoglobin levels through baseline diabetes distress and 3‐month self‐management. Conclusion A model simultaneously incorporating individual, parental and peer factors to glycaemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes has been constructed. Improving diabetes distress and self‐management should be essential strategies to improve glycaemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Encouraging adolescents with type 1 diabetes to communicate openly with peers about diabetes care and educating their parents to provide more responsive and autonomy‐encouraging parenting style might be vital strategies to improve diabetes distress, 3‐month self‐management and glycaemic control. Impact Individual, parental and peer factors should be simultaneously considered to improve glycaemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Nurses should evaluate these factors to tailor interventions improving glycaemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

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