Culture of Wellness in Preschools Parent Wellness Workshop (COWP PWW)

Six-week parent workshop series using Family Wellness Summaries and motivational interviewing to improve family healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.

The Culture of Wellness in Preschools (COWP), Parent Wellness Workshop Series (PWW) is a direct education intervention designed to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, increase moderate to vigorous physical activity, and reduce sedentary behaviors among preschool parents and their children. The COWP PWW's 6-week series begins with an assessment of 7 obesity risk factors. Parents receive a Family Wellness Summary to increase parents' awareness of their, and their preschool children's, current eating and physical activity behaviors and areas which could be improved. COWP PWW facilitators use motivational interviewing counseling techniques to discuss the Family Wellness Summary results and set goals around healthy eating and physical activity for each course participant. The remaining 5 workshops educate parents on various nutrition and physical activity topics with techniques to improve their and their family's health behaviors. Parents then receive a post-Family Wellness Summary with a counseling session at the end of the series to understand where improvements in healthy eating and physical activity were made.

Evidence: Practice-tested; pre/post surveys showed significant increases in fruit/vegetable intake and decreased SSB for parents and children.

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