Recorded presentation

Laura W. Hatch, MPH, CHES, Richard Elder, MBA, Elizabeth P. Davenport, MPH, RD, Susan Borra, RD, and Alison Esser. International Food Information Council Foundation, 1100 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 430, Washington, DC 20036, 202-296-6540, hatch@ific.org

Statement of Purpose: Based on the results of two and a half years of consumer research, the ACTIVATE partnership developed an innovative, interactive, and educational Web site (Kidnetic.com) that delivers healthy eating and physical activity messages to children ages 9-12 and their families in ways that are engaging, relevant, and meaningful to help prevent childhood overweight. Kidnetic.com was launched in June 2002. Objective: To evaluate the impact of a childhood overweight prevention Web site (Kidnetic.com) on child and parent attitudes, readiness to change, knowledge and behavior with regard to physical activity and nutrition. Methods: The evaluation was a pre/post test, intervention and control group design. Subjects received pre- and post-tests via email and were exposed to Kidnetic.com over a two-week period before completing the post-test. The intervention group consisted of 366 children and parent matched pairs and the control group consisted of 287 children and parent matched pairs. Results: The final results of the impact evaluation indicate that a two-week exposure to Kidnetic.com positively impacted thoughts and attitudes about physical activity and nutrition as well as increasing discussion between children and parents about physical activity and eating. Conclusion: Healthy lifestyle information can be successfully delivered to children and families through a Web site designed around their needs and interests.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss how a childhood overweight prevention Web site can successfully deliver nutrition and physical activity information to children 9-12 and their parents.
• Discuss how to develop an on-line impact evaluation of a Web-based childhood overweight prevention program.
• Identify key motivators and obstacles for children and parents in preventing childhood overweight.

Keywords: Obesity, Nutrition

Related Web page: www.kidnetic.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation