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Healthy Eating Learning Program (HELP) Study for Fussy Eaters with no major medical history

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Healthy children who are fussy eaters, but have no major medical history (have never been hospitalized for a primary medical condition, OR have no medical diagnosis e.g. Down Syndrome)
Diet and Nutrition - Other diet and nutrition disorders
Registration Number
ACTRN12611000942954
Lead Sponsor
Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute
Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
Completed
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
68
Inclusion Criteria

Children with a history of ongoing fussy eating (persisting for a period of 6 months or longer) but who have never been hospitalized for a primary medical condition (e.g gastroesophageal reflux), or who have never received a medical diagnosis with significant intellectual or developmental implications (e.g. Down Syndrome).

Fussy eating includes:
* Limited dietary variety across the food groups
(diet currently includes less than 10 foods which are predominantly carbohydrates, 10 foods which are predominantly proteins, and 10 fruits/vegetables)
* Limited range of textures consumed (don't eat an age-appropriate range of textures; limit diet to 1 or 2 food textures; consume predominantly 'easy to eat' junk foods)
* Mealtimes are taking longer than 30 minutes
* There are problematic behaviours at mealtimes which are contributing to parental stress

Exclusion Criteria

Children who are medically unstable: acutely unwell children who may experience a deterioration in health

Children with documented aspiration on any solid food textures (children on modified liquids will be accepted)

Children with severe malnutrition, whose primary goal of nutrition could only be achieved by supplementary tube feeding

Children with gut disorders which are not well controlled or understood (e.g. dumping syndrome)

Children with an allergy or current intolerance to more than 2 types of foods

Children whose primary health carer has a known/declared mental health condition

Children whose primary language is that other than English, or children identified as being from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background

Study & Design

Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Adequacy of diet and overall increase in dietary variety<br><br>Assessed via 3-day weighed food diary, modified Children's Dietary Questionnaire (Magarey et al. 1999) (food frequency questionnaire) and New Food Lists, where parents indicate in an ongoing fashion how many times their child is offered new foods and the number of acceptances and rejections[Baseline<br>Immediately post-intervention<br>For 3 months post-intervention (parents will collect at home in an ongoing fashion until they return for a 3-month review)];Growth (change in weight and height)[Baseline<br>Immediately post-intervention<br>3 months post-intervention];Change in fat-free mass as measured by body composition measure<br>Measured by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)[Baseline <br>Immediately post-intervention<br>3 months post-intervention]
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
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