Cultural Adaptation of 'Healthy Dad Healthy Kids' (HDHK) for Hispanic Families: Fundamental Movement Skills Play Card get a Cultural Face Lift

Prevalence of childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States putting kids in serious risk for poor health. In 2011-2014, for children and adolescents aged 2-19 years: The prevalence of obesity has remained fairly stable at about 17% and affects about 12.7 million children and adolescents. The prevalence of obesity was higher among Hispanics (21.9%) and non-Hispanic blacks (19.5%) than among non-Hispanic whites (14.7%). Fathers who are active, who engage with their children in games and activities, are more likely to have children who are also physically active. Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids (HDHK) is a community-based, multi-award winning program, aimed at engaging fathers in positive lifestyle role modelling and effective parenting strategies to improve the physical activity and dietary behaviors of both themselves and their children. Culturally adapting a program like HDHK is an important and pivotal step toward assuring the impact we seek to have on the obesity epidemic that plagues our Hispanic communities in Houston. The HDHK Play Cards resulted with significant changes from pictures, layout changes, language and with culturally relevant games that better represent the community it is poised to serve in Houston. Though early in its development, the cards are sure to get many more changes before the final product is determined. This project was completed with contributions from Alicia Beltran, Oriana Perez, and Teresia O’Conner from the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Academic General Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine.