Brief Motivational Interviewing to Reduce Body Mass Index Study (BMI²)

Protocol Overview

Participants are asked to:

Attend a weekend study-sponsored training session to receive brief training in motivational interviewing, behavioral therapy and the study protocol (both the practitioner and study coordinator must attend). 

Enroll 20 children, 2-8 years with a BMI between the 85th and 97th percentiles.  The practices will collect diet and activity surveys from all parents and collect the children’s heights/weights annually.  Practitioners in the mid and high-level intervention arms will deliver 6 MI-based counseling sessions over the two years and complete encounter forms about those visits. Dietitians will conduct 6 sessions over the 2 years with families in the high-level arm. 

Selected families will participate in sub-studies involving 24-hour dietary recall and activity measurement using an accelerometer.

Parents will receive an honoraria for completing each annual survey or any sub-studies. Honoraria will be provided to practices for enrollment and for each individual counseling session. Dietitians will be reimbursed for their counseling sessions, as well.

Reimbursement will be given to each practice (amount depends on arm assignment).