Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids — weight loss for Hispanic fathers and more active children
Official title: EFFICACY TRIAL OF A PROGRAM FOR WEIGHT LOSS FOR HISPANIC FATHERS AND INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN: HEALTHY DADS, HEALTHY KIDS
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11415229 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program helps Hispanic fathers lose weight while getting their elementary-age children more active through fun, family-focused sessions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $25,058 |
| NIH project number | 3R33HL155015-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11415229 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Hispanic fathers (and their elementary-age children, roughly 6–11 years old) who want to work on weight loss and increasing physical activity are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
This program is not designed for non-Hispanic families, single-parent households without a participating father, or children outside the target age range who need other medical care.
What this research studies
You and your child would attend sessions together that teach healthier eating and more physical activity, with activities you can do as a family. The program was adapted for Hispanic families and uses group coaching, hands-on activities, and goal-setting that encourages fathers and children to support each other. Sessions emphasize practical skills, culturally relevant materials, and fun parent-child exercises to boost activity and improve diet. The team is testing whether these changes lead to lasting weight and behavior improvements.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help fathers lose weight and lower obesity risk for their children by building lasting family habits.
How similar studies have gone: An Australian version of Healthy Dads Healthy Kids showed significant weight and behavior benefits for fathers and children, and this project adapts that proven approach for Hispanic families.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'connor, Teresia Margareta — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: O'connor, Teresia Margareta
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.