The Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables (Prepared Parents, Healthy Youth) is a federally-funded family skills obesity prevention program for Latino immigrant fathers and their children. The program seeks to address energy balance related behaviors by: 1) increasing father's healthy parenting practices regarding healthy eating and physical activity and 2) improving eating and physical activity behaviors of 10-14 year-olds. The program follows a Social Cognitive/Reciprocal determinism theoretical framework.
Department: Family Science
Room number: 1142E
Director: Ghaffar Ali Hurtado Choque
Office Phone Number: (301) 405-8501
Email: ahurtado@umd.edu
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About
The Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables (Prepared Parents, Healthy Youth; Padres) is federally funded family-skills obesity prevention program for Latino immigrant fathers. The program was developed following participative principles, including focus group, father advisory board, input from leaders of Latino serving organization, and university faculty. The program consists of eight 2-hour weekly sessions for Latino fathers and youth ages 10-14 years.
The purpose of the program is to strengthen positive parenting practices to help youth eat healthy foods and be physically active and prevent health problems and overweight. Each session follows an active learning and interactive approach for fathers (caregivers) and youth to: (a) Prepare food together and share a meal; (b) Learn about nutrition and physical activity together; and (c) Be physically active together with Zumba, yoga, dance, and relay activities.
Latino fathers (or male caregivers) and youth are eligible to participate and mothers (female caregivers) are encouraged and welcome to attend. The sessions for parents are in Spanish and the sessions for youth are in English. Participation in the program is voluntary and free. The program is held in in partnership with community organizations. We hope that our community partners can assist with recruiting at least 20 families to participate, host the sessions for families, assist in teaching the sessions, and provide a space and staff to help with childcare for younger children.
Program Evaluation
During 2018 to 2020 we are evaluating the program in a staggered fashion. At each implementing site, we conduct three survey sessions with parents and youth, 1) the first survey is conducted before the program starts (pre-test), 2) the second survey, right after the program ends (post-test), and 3) the last is a follow-up (3 months after the program). The surveys are used to determine in what ways the program works, for whom and under what conditions, to achieve the main parenting outcomes and youth diet and physical activity outcomes. At the first survey session, enrolled families will be assigned into one of two groups, a) half of the families are asked to attend the 8 weekly sessions first (beginning the next week), and b) the other half are asked to attend the sessions after the follow-up survey.
Multicomponent Delivery
To compliment the in-person experience, the research team decided to explore a blended learning delivery of the intervention via a mHealth application. A blended program delivery (in-person and via mHealth application) can address the limitation of attending the in-person sessions alone. An app will enable fathers to access three of the intervention sessions remotely and thereby increase completion of the intervention. Few mHealth nutrition education application exist for Latino parents (especially fathers). Additionally, this application enables to customize participant-center elements, such as supporting family goals, receive reminders, among others. Finally, the use of an open source app platform will reduce costs and permit wide replication of the intervention.
Padres (an established family-skills intervention) will be adapted for blended delivery. The health interventions based on social cognitive theory, modeling reasoning and teaching, home availability and accessibility, social support, and principles of mHealth. The app will address key barriers for participation and increase fathers' engagement, leading to increase the likelihood of household behavioral changes, while reinforcing behavior change through targeted app-based messages to all participants in the household.
Ali Hurtado
Assistant Professor, Family Science
Co-Investigator, Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables
Dr. Hurtado Choque is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Health and Extension Specialist at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, focusing on family and community health. Mr. Hurtado focuses his research, scholarship and outreach in the development, implementation and evaluation of health promotion interventions at the family and community levels.
Prior to joining UMD, Ali Hurtado was a research associate at the University of Minnesota Extension and the Medical School Program in Health Disparities Research. He is actively engaged in health disparities research, scholarship and outreach.
Marla Reicks
Professor, Extension Nutritionist
Primary Investigator, Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables
Dr. Ricks is a Professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Food Science and Nutrition. Dr. Reicks's research has focused on parenting practices and youth energy balance-related behaviors. Also, Dr.she has researched family-based interventions to improve youth energy balance-related behaviors and obesity prevention.
Silvia Alvarez de Davila
Associate Professor, Extension Center for Family Development
Dr. Alvarez de Davila is an Associate Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota's Family Development research unit. Her research has focused on Latino families and is an expert in community based participatory research involving parent education, obesity prevention, and tobacco cessation.
Javiera Monardez Popelka
Public Health Practitioner
Dr. Monardez Popelka is Public Health Practitioner at the University of Minnesota and is an experienced health educator and coach with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and health care industry. She is skilled in community health promotion, prevention, adolescence, family education, public speaking, and health equity. Dr. Monardez Popelka has expertise in technology based public health interventions for the Latino community living in the U.S.
Alejandro Peralta Reyes
Research Coordinator, Extension Center for Family Development
Mr. Reyes is an experienced research coordinator for the University of Minnesota's Extension Center for Family Development. He has expertise with obesity prevention among Latino families.
Matthew R. Rodriguez
Research Assistant/App Developer
Matt is a doctoral student at the University of Maryland's School of Public Health in the Department of Family Science. His research is focused on Latino fathers and the utilization of mobile health technology in community based interventions to reduce health disparities. His role in the Padres research has been the design, development, implementation, and analysis of the multicomponent program format utilizing multiple technologies. Prior to his doctoral studies, Matt was a professional website developer. @MattR_Rodriguez
Aysegul Baltaci
Research Assistant
Aysegul is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota's Food Science and Nutrition Department. Her research is focused on Latino families and nutrition education.
Sayaka Sato
Research Assistant
Sayaka is a visiting scholar at the University of Minnesota. Her research is focused on nutrition education.
Darya Soltani
Research Assistant
Darya is a graduating senior in the accelerated BS-MPH program at the University of Maryland. Her research interests involve addressing health disparities in minority populations. After completing her MPH, she plans to attend medical school to become a pediatrician and bridge her love fo medicine and global health by working in underserved communities around the world.
Lenora Blakely
Research Intern
Lenora is a junior in the Public Health Science program and is from Silver Spring, Maryland. After completion of her undergraduate degree, her goal is to earn an MPH in a Global Public Health program. Her professional interest lies in conducting field research in child and maternal health in Latino populations, particularly in Central and South America.
Aziz Hurtado
Research Assistant
Aziz is a senior microbiology student at Towson University. He works on programs for immigrant and indigenous families; specifically obesity prevention.
Zayda Villatoro
Research Intern
Zayda is a a Senior Public Health Science at the University of Maryland. Her interests involve child and maternal health as well as disparities in minority populations. In the future, she hopes to become a Physicians Assistant with the goal of being able to help minority populations.
Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables
In-Person Format
The Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables (Prepared Parents, Healthy Youth) is federally funded family-skills obesity prevention program for Latino immigrant fathers. The program was developed following participative principles, including focus group, father advisory board, input from leaders of Latino serving organization, and university faculty. The program consists of eight 2-hour weekly sessions for Latino fathers and youth ages 10-14 years.
The purpose of the program is to strengthen positive parenting practices to help youth eat healthy foods and be physically active and prevent health problems and overweight. Each session follows an active learning and interactive approach for fathers (caregivers) and youth to: (a) Prepare food together and share a meal; (b) Learn about nutrition and physical activity together; and (c) Be physically active together with Zumba, yoga, dance, and relay activities.
Multicomponent Format
To compliment the in-person experience, the research team decided to explore a blended learning delivery of the intervention via a mHealth application. See table 1. A blended program delivery (in-person and via mHealth application) can address the limitation of attending the in-person sessions alone. An app will enable fathers to access three of the intervention sessions remotely and thereby increase completion of the intervention. Few mHealth nutrition education application exist for Latino parents (especially fathers). Additionally, this application enables to customize participant-center elements, such as supporting family goals, receive reminders, among others. Finally, the use of an open source app platform will reduce costs and permit wide replication of the intervention.
Padres (an established family-skills intervention) will be adapted for blended delivery. The health interventions based on social cognitive theory, modeling reasoning and teaching, home availability and accessibility, social support, and principles of mHealth. The app will address key barriers for participation and increase fathers' engagement, leading to increase the likelihood of household behavioral changes, while reinforcing behavior change through targeted app-based messages to all participants in the household.
Peer-reviewed Articles
1. Zhang Y, Hurtado GA, Flores R, Alba Meras A, Reicks, M. Latino fathers’ perspectives and experiences regarding food- and activity-parenting practices: focus group findings. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2018;118(11):2070-2080.
2. Zhang Y, Hurtado GA, Peralta Reyes A, Arellano Brazys P, Perdue L, Alvarez de Davila S, Flores R, Monardez Popelka J, Reicks M. Feasibility and effectiveness of Padres Preparados, Jovene Saludables, a family-based program to prevent obesity among Latino youth: preliminary findings. J Human Sci Extension, 2019;7(3):68-91.
3. Zhang Y, Peralta Reyes A, Arellano Brazys P, Hurtado A, Larson N, Reicks M. Development of a survey to assess Latino fathers’ parenting practices regarding energy balance-related behaviors of early adolescents. Health Educ Behav 2019 Oct 9: 1090198119878769. doi: 10.1177/1090198119878769. [Epub ahead of print]
4. Zhang Y, Davey C, Larson N, Reicks M. Influence of parenting styles in the context of adolescents’ energy balance-related behaviors: findings from the FLASHE Study. Appetite 2019;142:104364. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104364
5. Zhang Y, Baltaci A, Overcash F, Druziako S, Peralta Reyes A, Hurtado GA, Reicks M. Latino adolescent-father discrepancies in reporting activity parenting practices and associations with adolescents’ physical activity and screen time. BMC Public Health 2020;20(1):92. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-8199-6.
6. Overcash F, Reicks M. Diet quality and eating practices among Hispanic/Latino men and women: NHANES 2011-2016. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:1302. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph 180313027
7. Nagao-Sato S, Baltaci A, Peralta Reyes A, Zhang Y, Hurtado AG, Reicks M. Skin carotenoid scores assessed with reflection spectroscopy are associated with self-reported fruit and vegetable intake among Latino early adolescents. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021.
8. Zhang Y, Nagao-Sato S, Baltaci A, Hurtado GA, Reicks M. Influence of paternal parenting style on Latino early adolescents’ energy balance-related behaviors and interactions with behavior-specific parenting practices. Public Health Nutr 2021 (under review)
9. Nagao-Sato S, Druziako S, Baltaci A, Peralta Reyes A, Zhang Y, Hurtado GA, Reicks M. Concordance in reports of food insecurity associated with environmental factors among Latino fathers and mothers. BMC Public Health, 2021 (under review)
Abstracts/Conference Presentations
1. Hurtado G, Shirer K, Reicks M, Allen M. Latino Fathers Promoting Healthy Youth Behaviors. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2016;48(7):S122. (Poster Presentation)
2. Alvarez-Davila S, Arellano-Brazys P, Flores R. Latino Fathers Promoting Healthy Youth Behaviors-formative focus group findings. University of Minnesota Extension Annual Conference, October, 2016. Duluth, MN. (Poster Presentation)
3. Hurtado A, Alvarez-Davila S, Lopez I. Quality collaborations contribute to community benefits. National Urban Extension Conference. May 8-11, 2017. Bloomington, MN. (Conference Presentation)
4. Zhang Y, Peralta Reyes A. Using a community based participatory research (CBPR) approach to develop a childhood obesity prevention program for Latino youth and their parents. National Urban Extension Conference. May 8-11, 2017. Bloomington, MN. (Poster presentation)
5. Arellano Brazys P, Flores R. Latino Fathers Promoting Healthy Youth Behaviors-formative focus group findings. National Urban Extension Conference. May 8-11, 2017, Bloomington, MN. (Poster Presentation)
6. Hurtado A, Barr-Anderson D, Larson N. Parent involvement in youth nutrition and physical activity programs: Strategies to address childhood obesity prevention in socioeconomically, racially/ethnically, and structurally diverse urban families. National Urban Extension Conference. May 8-11, 2017. Bloomington, MN. (oral presentation)
7. Hurtado GA, Zhang Y, Arellano Brazys P, Peralta Reyes A, Reicks M. Latino Fathers Promoting Healthy Youth Behaviors. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2017;49(7):S118. (Poster Presentation)
8. Doty J., Hurtado G. A., Alvarez S (2017). Parents as catalysts: Leveraging parent-child relationships to promote adolescent health and well-being in diverse families. National Council for Family Relations annual meeting. Orlando Fl. (Oral presentation)
9. Zhang Y, Peralta Reyes A, Reicks M. Feasibility of Padres Preparados, Jovene Saludables, a parenting skills-focused community-based program to prevent obesity among Latino youth. 2018 National Health Outreach Conference, Minneapolis, May 2018 (Poster Presentation)
10. Zhang Y, Peralta Reyes A, Arellano Brazys P, Reicks M. Relationships between paternal parenting practices and eating, physical activity, and screen time behaviors of Latino youth. Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior Annual Meeting July 2018, Minneapolis. (poster presentation) 2018;50(7S):S20-21.
11. Arellano Brazys P, Zhang Y, Overcash F, Reicks M. Associations between role modeling vegetable intake by Latino fathers and child vegetable intake. Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior Annual Meeting July 2018, Minneapolis. (poster presentation). J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018;50(7S):S17-S18.
12. Peralta Reyes A, Reicks M, Hurtado A. Latino Fathers Promoting Healthy Youth Behaviors. Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior Annual Meeting July 2018, Minneapolis. (Poster presentation) J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018;50(7):S118.
13. Hurtado G, Zhang Y, Peralta A, Reicks M. Evaluating the feasibility of a family-based (father focused) program to prevent obesity among Latino adolescents: The experience of Padres Preparado, Jóvenes Saludables. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA Nov 2018.
14. Hurtado G. Exploring principle-based fidelity in community-based programming: The Padres Preparados experience. Society for Prevention Research, May 29-June 1, 2018, Washington, DC (Panel presentation)
15. Hurtado G. Exploring quality assessment in community-based nutrition education. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018;50(7):S122.
16. Hurtado G. The design and adaptation of a Latino youth obesity prevention program for immigrant fathers and their families: The Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables experience. National Council for Family Relations, Nov 2018, San Diego, CA
17. Hurtado G. Examining the feasibility of a family-based (father focused) obesity prevention intervention for Latino adolescents: The Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables experience. National Council for Family Relations. Nov 2018, San Diego, CA
18. Hurtado A, Latino Fathers Promoting Healthy Your Behaviors, USDA AFRI Highlights panel presentation, Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN July 2018
19. Hurtado G, Rodriguez M, Monardez Popelka J, Alvarez de Davila S, Doig A, Overcash F, Brute N, Reicks M, Doty J. Exploring the design and feasibility of a blended (mHealth) nutrition education program for immigrant Latino families: The Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables experience. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, November 2019.
20. Hurtado G, Rodriguez M, Monardez Popelka J, Alvarez de Davila S, Doig A, Overcash F, Brute N, Reicks M, Doty J. Utilizing technology to reach, assess, implement and improve health and family well-being. National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference, Fort Worth, TX, November 2019.
21. Rodriguez, M. R., Alvarez de Davila, S., Monardez, J., Channell Doig, A., Peralta Reues, A., Reicks, M., & Hurtado Choque, G. (2019). 409-02: Examining the Feasibility of a Blended (mHealth) Nutrition Education Program For Immigrant Latino Families: The Padre Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables Experience. Presented at the National Council on Family Relations, Fort Worth, TX. Oral presentation retrieved from https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-2019/session/fh-sy-utilizing-technology-reach-assess-implement-and-improve-health-and-family
22. Rodriguez, M. R., Doig, A. C., & Hurtado, G. A. (2019). Padres Preparados, Jovenes Saludables. Presented at the Do Good Challenge, College Park, MD. Oral presentation retrieved from https://publicpolicy.umd.edu/dogood-institute/programs/do-good-challenge/teams/padres-preparados-jovenes-saludables
23. Reicks M, Baltaci A, Alvarez de Davila S, Druziako S, Hurtado GA, Overcash F, Peralta Reyes A, Zhang Y. Latino fathers promoting healthy youth behaviors. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019;51(7):S17.
24. Hurtado Choque G, Rodriguez M, Monardez Popelka J, Alvarez de Davila S, Channell Doig A, Peralta A, Sutoyo D, Reicks M. The development of a nutrition education mobile application (Mhealth) for Latino families: the Padres Preparados, Jovenes Saludables experience. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019;51 (7):S72.
25. Baltaci A, Overcash F, Zhang Y, Reicks M. Associations between Latino fathers’ food involvement with adolescents and food parenting practices. J Nutr Educ Behav 2020;52(7):S23.
26. Authors??. Assessing the Feasibility of a Multicomponent Program to Strengthen Family-Skills among Latino Fathers, Youth and Families: The Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables Experience. Society for Prevention Research, July 21-23, 2020 Virtual Conference.
27. Hurtado, G. A., Davila, S. A. d., Monardez, J., Rodriguez, M. R., Baltaci, A., Soltani, D., . . . Reicks, M. (2020). The adaptation and web optimization process of a obesity prevention program for latinx immigrant families: The padres preparados experience. Paper presented at the American Public Health Association, Virtual. https://apha.confex.com/apha/2020/chwlate/papers/viewonly.cgi?password=647865&username=486564
28. Rodriguez, M. R., Hurtado Choque, G., Alvarez de Davila, S., Peralta, A., Popelka, J., Channell Doig, A., & Reicks, M. (2020). A Mobile Health App for Latino Fathers: Preliminary Results From an Exploratory Study. Paper presented at the National Council on Family Relations, Virtual Conference. Paper retrieved from https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-2020/registration
29. Nagao-Sato S, Alvarez de Davila S, Baltaci A, Linares R, Peralta Reyes AO, Zhang Y, Hurtado Choque GI, Reicks M. Barriers to Attendance in a Father-focused Adolescent Obesity Prevention Program: Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables. J Nutr Educ Behav 2021 submitted 2-14-21
30. Jackson A, Peralta Reyes A, Hurtado Choque GI, Reicks M. Latino father self-efficacy for promoting healthy adolescent behaviors was associated with frequency of parenting practices. J Nutr Educ Behav 2021 submitted 2-14-21
31. Hurtado Choque, G., Rodriguez, M. R., & Reicks, M. (2021). Understanding Latino Father Multicomponent Participation In An Adolescent Obesity Prevention Program. Paper presented at the National Council on Family Relations, Baltimore Maryland. Oral presentation (under review) retrieved from https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-2021
Apps Published
Padres Preparados Jovenes Saludables Android app. (2018). University of Maryland (Version 1.1.1) [Mobile application software]. Retrieved from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.padressaludables.ppjs
Padres Preparados Jovenes Saludables iOS app. (2018). University of Maryland (Version 1.1.1) [Mobile application software]. Retrieved from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/padres-preparados/id1449296919
Theses/Dissertations
1. Zhang Y. Healthy lifestyle intervention: application of parenting styles and practices among Latino fathers and early adolescents. University of Minnesota Dissertation, December 30, 2018.
2. Arellano Roldan P. Parenting practices and fruit and vegetable intake among Latino parents and children. University of Minnesota Thesis, June 2018. pp 99.
3. Druziako S. Latino Father Sociodemographic Characteristics and Food- and Activity-Related Parenting Practices. University of Minnesota Thesis. 142 pp. May 2019.
4. Baltaci A. Latino father-focused, healthy lifestyle intervention to improve adolescent energy balance-related behaviors, University of Minnesota Dissertation Expected May 2021. (Tentative)
5. Jackson A. Latino father self-efficacy for promoting healthy eating and physical activity and relationship with frequency of parenting practices. University of Minnesota Thesis May 2021 (Tentative)
6. Rodriguez, Matthew R. Understanding Latino father program participation: A quasi-experimental examination of a multicomponent energy balance related behaviors intervention. University of Maryland Dissertation, May 2022 (Tentative)