Low-income, overweight and obese mothers as agents of change to improve food choices, fat habits, and physical activity in their 1-to-3-year-old children.

Objective: To examine the effects of a weight loss program for mothers on the diet and activity of mothers and their 1-3 year old children.

Design: Overweight and obese mothers participated in an 8-week weight loss intervention encompassing diet, physical activity, and behavioral modification. Anthropometrics, demographic, dietary, and physical activity questionnaires were administered at weeks 0 and 8; anthropometrics were re-evaluated at week 24.

Predictors of weight loss in low-income mothers of young children.

Objective: To identify predictors of weight loss in a tri-ethnic population of low-income mothers.

Design: An 8-week dietary and physical activity program was tested. Demographic data were collected at baseline; anthropometric, dietary, physical activity, and psychosocial data were measured at baseline and week 8.

Promotion of physical activity in low-income mothers using pedometers.

Objective: This study tested the effectiveness of a pedometer program for increasing physical activity levels and reducing body weight in overweight and obese mothers of young children.

Design: Participants' motivational readiness to exercise, exercise self-efficacy, pedometer steps, pedometer kilocalories, and anthropometrics were evaluated at week 0 and week 8; anthropometrics were reassessed at week 24. Healthful-weight mothers provided comparison data at baseline.

Nutrition knowledge is associated with greater weight loss in obese and overweight low-income mothers.

Objective: To examine if greater nutrition knowledge vs gains in knowledge promote more successful weight loss in low-income, overweight and obese mothers with young children.

Design: A convenience sample of mothers and their children were measured for height and weight; mothers completed demographic and nutrition knowledge questionnaires pre- and post-intervention.

Subjects/setting: Participants (N=141) were recruited from government and public health clinics and elementary schools.

Relative validity and reliability of a food frequency questionnaire for a triethnic population of 1-year-old to 3-year-old children from low-income families.

Objective: To develop and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for low-income, 1- to 3-year-old Hispanic, African-American, and white children.

Design: A convenience sample of low-income mothers provided dietary data for their child via FFQs and 3-day diet records.

Subjects/setting: Participants (N=77) were recruited from Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children clinics and public health clinics.