Co-fam project

Co-fam is a partnership model for health promotion and early prevention and treatment of obesity. This project aims to co-design and evaluate a coherent model of family support that combines actions in school and primary health care to promote health and prevent and manage overweight and obesity in children 6-12 years.

National guidelines recommend combined lifestyle and family support for younger children and their parents in case of an unhealthy lifestyle and obesity, but evidence-based family support programs are lacking in Sweden for children aged 6-12 years.

The Co-fam model combines two evidence-based programs: The universal family support programme “A Healthy School Start” provided to all families with children starting school and the targeted parental support programme “More and Less” consisting of parental support through group sessions to parents of children with unhealthy behaviours, overweight or obesity. The More and Less programme will be adapted to the age group 6-12 years. The goal of Co-fam is that all children and their parents receive adequate and effective care, thereby, in the long term, decreasing the prevalence of chronic diseases.

The aims of the study are:

To co-design a novel and coherent model of family support for families with children 6-12 years including universal and targeted components.
Evaluate the model in an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 study with outcomes at the individual level, and fidelity and cost at the organizational level.
Explore acceptability and feasibility of the Co-fam model through interviews with health professionals and parents.

How will the Co-fam model be developed?

The Co-fam model will be developed through a co-design process including the school health care, primary and specialist health care, and parents to ensure that the model suits the needs of all stakeholders. The health care staff and the end users (parents) work together and oversee processes such as referral criteria, the content of the More and Less programme, follow-up support for families after the More and Less programme, as well as how the model can avoid stigmatization.

How will Co-fam be evaluated?

The model is evaluated in a randomized controlled trial that examines both effectiveness and implementation in a hybrid type 2 study. A study protocol will describe the programme theory and outcomes at the individual- and organization level.

Funding

This project has received funding from the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation, Norheds Foundation and the Swedish Research Council during the period 2024-2028.