This study is led by Dr. David Fedele (PI) and Dr. David Janicke (Co-I) and is funded by a grant from the American Lung Association. The aims of this study are to develop and pilot test the Childhood Health and Asthma Management Program (CHAMP), a behavioral family-based lifestyle intervention designed to promote successful weight and asthma management in OV/OB children with persistent asthma. We have previously developed a behavioral family-based lifestyle intervention that produced positive long-term weight status changes in OV/OB children. We are now tailoring this intervention for OV/OB children with asthma to create the CHAMP intervention. Tailoring will include adding asthma education (e.g., correct use of medications) and targeting unique barriers to weight management in OV/OB children with asthma by increasing children’s perceived competence to exercise and reducing parental misperceptions about child engagement in physical activity. Families in the CHAMP intervention will learn skills focused on improving both asthma and weight management (e.g., behavior management skills). Prior to pilot testing, 6-8 obese children with asthma, and their parents, will participate in a focus group to help develop and refine the CHAMP intervention and insure the inclusion of any additional asthma-specific and contextual barriers to weight loss.
Following focus group feedback we will conduct a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) of the CHAMP intervention with 32 OV/OB children with asthma, ages 8-12 years, and their parent(s). Intervention feasibility and acceptability will be determined by examining enrollment and attrition rates, attendance of participants at each session, and participants’ level of satisfaction with each session as well as with the overall intervention program. Primary intervention efficacy outcomes include changes in pulmonary function, asthma-related quality of life, and BMI z-score. Changes in BMI z-score, physical activity, nutritional intake, and asthma management will be examined in an exploratory fashion as mediators of treatment outcome. All outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and at 6 month follow-up.