Mobile Apps for Preschool Parents (MAPP) Study
- Conditions
- Obesity, ChildhoodSleep, InadequateNutrition, HealthyPhysical Inactivity
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Beanstalk mobile appBehavioral: Children Eating Well (CHEW) mobile app
- Registration Number
- NCT06520072
- Lead Sponsor
- Pamela Hull
- Brief Summary
The purpose of Mobile Apps for Preschool Parents (MAPP) Study is to test the effectiveness of two mobile applications for parents of preschool aged children: 1) an app focused on child and family nutrition and wellness, and 2) an app focused on parents reading to their children.
- Detailed Description
The Mobile Apps for Preschool Parents (MAPP) Study addresses an important gap in the scientific literature, which is the need to evaluate the use of parent-targeted, guided goal-setting for childhood obesity risk reduction via a mobile application, specifically for parents of preschool-aged children for early intervention.
Obesity is a leading cause of multiple chronic diseases, including 13 types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and type II diabetes. Major behavioral determinants of obesity are also independent risk factors for these chronic diseases, including unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and poor sleep quality. Childhood obesity increases risk for adult obesity and early onset of conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea, and joint problems. Childhood obesity disproportionately affects children of lower socioeconomic status, racial/ethnic minority groups, and rural areas, thus exacerbating and contributing to health disparities among obesity-related health conditions. Children in low-income families that qualify for income-based public assistance programs represent a population that is at high risk for obesity. These programs include the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program; Head Start (preschool child care centers); the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); and Medicaid.
With the Attention Control Arm, the MAPP Study will also contribute valuable information about the effectiveness of using a mobile application with parent-targeted, guided goal-setting for reading to preschool-aged children. Previous studies have shown that adults reading to children is beneficial for child learning and development.
All parents/guardians (both samples and both arms) will be asked to use the respective apps for an 8-week intervention period. The primary outcome will be measured in the Baseline Survey and a Follow Up Survey after completing the 8-week intervention period. After completion of the Follow Up Survey, parents/guardians will be given the option to download and use the other app, if they are interested (i.e., information about the CHEW app for the Control Arm, and information about the Control app for the Intervention Arm). For both the Intervention Arm and those who choose to download the CHEW app in the Control Arm, usage of the CHEW app (i.e., app analytics) will be tracked for up to 20 weeks after the date of study enrollment.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 1200
- Parent/Guardian (age 18+ years) of a 2-5 year old
- Living in United States
- Receives services at partner community organization (Organization Sample only)
- Does not own iOS/Apple or Android mobile device (phone or tablet)
- Does not have internet access for the mobile device (data plan on device or in-home WiFi)
- Not able to successfully load and access the Intervention Arm or Attention Control Arm mobile app on the mobile device at the time of enrollment
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Attention Control Arm: Reading app Beanstalk mobile app The parents/guardians this study arm will use the Beanstack mobile app (or the Bookroo app, as an alternative) focused on parents reading to their children for the first 8 weeks of the study. This app may help parents/guardians to read more to their preschool children (and other children), which is good for child learning and development. Intervention Arm: Nutrition and wellness app Children Eating Well (CHEW) mobile app The parents/guardians in this study arm will use the Children Eating Well (CHEW) mobile app focused on child and family nutrition and wellness for the first 8 weeks of the study. This app is designed to help parents/guardians of preschool-aged children to improve nutrition, physical activity, sleep, feeding children at mealtimes, and related wellness topics.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Healthy Kids childhood obesity risk score 2 months Using the 19-item Healthy Kids scale, each item is coded from 1 to 5, with 1 being the least healthful and 5 being the most healthful. To calculate the childhood obesity risk score, all 19 items are summed together, ranging from 19 to 95, with higher values reflecting a more healthful, or positive, outcome.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Child intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (Healthy Kids items) 2 months Child intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (Healthy Kids items)
Child intake of energy dense food/beverages (Healthy Kids items) 2 months Child intake of energy dense food/beverages (Healthy Kids items)
Sleep: Child bedtime (Healthy Kids item) 2 months Child bedtime (Healthy Kids item)
Child dietary intake (Healthy Kids items) 2 months Child dietary intake (Healthy Kids items)
Family meals: Eating meals with child (Healthy Kids item) 2 months Eating meals with child (Healthy Kids item)
Child intake of fruits and vegetables (Healthy Kids items) 2 months Child intake of fruits and vegetables (Healthy Kids items)
Child intake of dairy/calcium (Healthy Kids items) 2 months Child intake of dairy/calcium (Healthy Kids items)
Child physical activity and sedentary behavior (Healthy Kids items) 2 months Child physical activity and sedentary behavior (Healthy Kids items)
Diet quality: Variety of child vegetable intake (My Veggies questionnaire) 2 months Variety of child vegetable intake (My Veggies questionnaire)
My Child at Mealtime questionnaire 2 months My Child at Mealtime questionnaire measures food-related parenting styles.
Home Inventory Describing Eating and Activity (Home-IDEA2, food section) 2 months Home Inventory Describing Eating and Activity (Home-IDEA2, food section) measures home food environment.
Length of time reading to child 2 months Length of time reading to child
Frequency of reading to child 2 months Frequency of reading to child
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
University of Kentucky
🇺🇸Lexington, Kentucky, United States