Authors

  1. Grow, H. Mollie Greves MD, MPH
  2. Hencz, Patty RN
  3. Verbovski, Mary Jones MS, RD
  4. Gregerson, Lindsey MS
  5. Liu, Lenna L. MD, MPH
  6. Dossett, Linna
  7. Larison, Cindy MPH
  8. Saelens, Brian E. PhD

Abstract

Sustaining community-based obesity interventions for families represents an ongoing challenge. Many initially grant-funded initiatives lack a sustainable model to continue. After initial grant funding ended, we continued a partnership between Seattle Children's Hospital and YMCA of Greater Seattle to enhance and expand a community-based family obesity program, "ACT! Actively Changing Together." We used principles of continuous process improvement, community-based participatory research, and the RE-AIM framework to successfully transition from a grant-funded to a community-supported program. Our pilot evaluation demonstrated promising results in parent behaviors, youth quality of life, ongoing family participation at the Y, and youth body mass index.