Community Partnering to Encourage Healthy Beverage Intake Through Child Care
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Obesity
- Sponsor
- University of California, San Francisco
- Enrollment
- 154
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- BMI (kg/m2)
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 7 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Beverage consumption is an important determinant of young children's weight, yet few obesity prevention interventions focus comprehensively on encouraging healthy beverage consumption. This quasi-experimental study evaluated whether a childcare-based intervention, combining environmental changes, education/promotion, and policy supports to promote healthy beverage intake, improved at-home beverage consumption and weight status among children ages 2-5 years.
Detailed Description
Inappropriate intake of whole milk, fruit juice, and sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with childhood obesity, obesity-related co morbidities, and dental caries, yet there are few proven interventions to promote child intake of healthy beverages consistent with national guidelines. Child care facilities provide a potential venue for influencing healthy beverage intake in children and families. The overall objective of this study is to use principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR; an approach in which researchers partner with community members to conduct research) to develop, pilot test, and examine the acceptability, feasibility, sustainability, and preliminary outcomes of a child care-based intervention to encourage child intake of age-appropriate, guideline-recommended beverages. The central hypothesis is that a multi-level intervention consisting of educational strategies to encourage intake of guideline-recommended beverages; increased accessibility of lead-free, fluoridated, drinking water in child care and at home; and evidence-based child care and home beverage policies will lead to healthier beverage intake and reduced childhood obesity. This hypothesis was tested through a quasi-experimental trial in four child care centers. Centers were randomized to a control (delayed-intervention) condition or to receive a 12-week intervention that promoted consumption of healthy beverages (water, unsweetened low-fat milk) and discouraged consumption of unhealthy beverages (juice, sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat or sweetened milk). The multi-pronged intervention was delivered via child care centers, targeted children, parents, and child care staff, and included education, environmental changes, and policies. Outcomes were measured at baseline and immediately post-intervention and included children's (n =154) at-home beverage consumption (assessed via parental report) and overweight/obese weight status (assessed via objectively measured height and weight).
Investigators
Anisha Patel
Associate Professor
University of California, San Francisco
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Child care centers were eligible if they were in San Mateo County, CA, were licensed, had enrolled at least ten children ages 2-5 years, participated in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP: a federal nutrition assistance program providing funding for meals and snacks), had English or Spanish-speaking staff, and served primarily English or Spanish-speaking families.
- •Two to five-year-old children were eligible if they were enrolled in participating child care facilities.
- •Parents of eligible children were able to participate in beverage intake surveys if they spoke English or Spanish.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Non-center, unlicensed, and higher-income child care facilities were ineligible to participate.
- •Parents unable to speak Spanish/English were excluded.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
BMI (kg/m2)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Height and weight measurements were obtained per NHANES anthropometry procedures manual. Weight in kilograms was divided by height in meters squared to obtain BMI.
BMI%
Time Frame: 12 weeks
We computed age and sex specific BMI% using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention age- and sex-specific growth curves
Proportion obese
Time Frame: 12 weeks
BMI% greater than or equal to 95% comprised obesity; The proportion of children meeting that definition was obtained
Proportion overweight
Time Frame: 12 weeks
BMI% greater than or equal to 85% comprised obesity; The proportion of children meeting that definition was obtained
Secondary Outcomes
- SSB intake (ounces/day)(12 weeks)
- Water intake (ounces/day)(12 weeks)
- Low fat/skim milk intake (ounces/day)(12 weeks)
- 2%/whole milk intake (ounces/day)(12 weeks)
- 100% fruit juice (ounces/day)(12 weeks)