Family-Based Weight Wellness Treatment Through Food is Medicine and Group Medical Visits in Pediatric and Adult Primary Care
The proposed project aims to implement and evaluate a novel, family-based lifestyle medicine intervention integrating group Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs) for parents and adolescents with a twelve-month medically tailored groceries (MTG) and six-month culinary medicine Food is Medicine program. The intervention provides adolescent weight wellness treatment through a holistic, community engaged approach leveraging family connection, clinical care, and nutrition support. Monthly SMAs will include time for parents and adolescents to meet independently and conclude together. These visits will be co-led by physicians, dietitians, and health professionals. Parents will receive the Ardmore Institute's Full Plate Living program while adolescents receive Tufts Pediatrics Strong, Positive and Resilient Kids (SPARK) Weight Wellness program. The SMA format is reimbursable, fosters peer support, enhances patient-provider interaction, and allows efficient delivery of education and care. Each session will include nutrition and lifestyle education, review of individualized weight care plans, and proactive goal setting tailored to adults, adolescents, and families.
⁃ For children:
• Child aged 12-17 years at time of enrollment (inclusive)
• BMI ≥ 95% for age and sex based on CDC growth charts
• Comfortable speaking and reading English (due to limitations in intervention materials and qualitative data collection tools)
• Child is an active patient at Tufts Medical Center
• Child can provide assent, Willing and able to participate in the 18-month study, including attendance at scheduled in-person or telehealth sessions
• Access to a device with internet capability (e.g., computer, tablet, or smartphone) to engage with online intervention
⁃ For parents or guardians:
• Age 18+ at time of enrollment
• Primary caregiver is the legal guardian of the child
• Comfortable speaking and reading English (due to limitations in intervention materials and qualitative data collection tools)
• Can provide consent, Willing and able to participate in the 12-month study, including attendance at scheduled in-person or telehealth sessions
• Access to a device with internet capability (e.g., computer, tablet, or smartphone) to engage with online intervention components.