Articles Related to Maxson JA
The Effectiveness of an Activity Meter for Overweight Children and Their Caregivers in a Clinical Setting: a Pilot Study
Childhood obesity is epidemic in the United States, but low levels of physical activity and high levels of screen time are modifiable risk factors. An activity meter (AM) program, that utilizes an interactive child-focused website and measures the amount and intensity of physical activity, may promote activity and decrease BMI.The current study tests the feasibility of using an AM program with child-caregiver pairs in a primary care setting. We hypothesize that participants would rate the system as easy to use, would be motivated with their engagement in physical activity, and would continue to use and recommend to others. We hypothesize the AM system would increase children’s physical activity levels and decrease engagement in screen time over the study period. We also measure changes in participants’ body mass index (BMI).Prospective study assessing ease of use and satisfaction with the AM program post-intervention and comparing physical activity and BMI changes in children and caregivers from pre- and post-intervention over a 4-month period.