URBANA, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension, in collaboration with other institutions and partners, has published a research article on the benefits of Abriendo Caminos, a family-based intervention program that aims to reduce obesity among Hispanic children. The research title is “Randomized control trial of a childhood obesity prevention family-based Program: ‘Abriendo Caminos’ and Effects on BMI.” The article evaluates the effect of a family-based primary prevention intervention for childhood obesity in a community setting. The objective was to demonstrate that participation in the program could prevent excessive weight gain in children and prevent the development of obesity.

“The Abriendo Caminos program is culturally tailored and uses an integrated multi-component curriculum grounded in evidence-based information and theoretical frameworks,” says Margarita Teran, Illinois Extension assistant dean for integrated health disparities, and faculty of Nutritional Sciences and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. “The curriculum was first created in Spanish and later translated into English. Expert revisions were made with input from stakeholders, considering literacy, regional resources, and cultural realities.”

Read more from Illinois Extension.