Promoting The Self-Regulation Of Energy Intake

Not Applicable

Completed

Interventions: Behavioral: Parent and child groups focused on self-regulation of eating

Brief Summary: The goal of this study is to develop and test the efficacy of a scientifically-based, culturally competent seven-session parent directed, obesity prevention program focused on parental feeding strategies that support young children's self-regulation of intake.

Detailed Description: The intervention program was developed and piloted. Expected outcomes: At the end of the intervention program, it is expected that parents in the intervention group will: 1) use more child-centered (e.g., repeated presentation of new foods, involvement in food preparation) and less parent-centered feeding directives; 2) be less likely to show an indulgent and more likely to show an authoritative feeding style (feeding responsiveness); 3) show lower scores on restriction and pressure to eat and higher scores on monitoring; and 4) demonstrate higher levels of food knowledge (e.g., best feeding practices, reduced feeding misconceptions). Children in the intervention group are expected to: 1) show more willingness to try new foods, and 2) show increased self-regulation of energy intake. At the end of the interventions, children are expected to show greater consumption of fruits and vegetables (including consuming a wider variety of fruits and vegetables). All effects are expected to continue through the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, although the effects sizes will diminish. Although we do not expect effects on BMI after 6 weeks, we expect to see decreases in children's BMI percentiles by the 6- and 12-month follow-ups for the intervention group-especially for the top 25% of the BMI percentile range. No parental BMI effects are expected.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Parents whose children attend Head Start with the sample of children equally split on gender and ethnicity,
with representation from ages 3 to 6 years.

Exclusion Criteria

Parents and children who have any kind of food allergies or diabetes or are on special diets will be excluded from the study.

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Parent and child classes (prevention group)	Parent and child groups focused on self-regulation of eating	Parent and child groups focused on self-regulation of eating

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Children's BMI Percentiles	12-month follow-up	Measured child height and weight data were collected. Two height and weight measures were averaged for each child. Age- and gender-specific BMI z-scores for each child were calculated. Children were classified into healthy weight (5th to \<85th percentile), overweight (≥85th to \<95th percentile), and obese (≥95th percentile) according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Parental Feeding Behaviors	12-month follow-up	Questionnaire data (parent-report). Subscale scores from the Food Parenting Inventory and Feeding Knowledge Questionnaire were used to measure secondary outcomes. All scales included response categories ranging from 1 to 5. Higher scores were considered better on the following subscales: repeated presentation of new foods; measured child portion sizes; child involvement in food preparation; feeding responsiveness; knowledge of best feeding practices; feeding efficacy. Lower scores were considered better on the subscale of feeding misconceptions.

Locations (2): Baylor College of Medicine
🇺🇸
Houston, Texas, United States
Thomas G. Power
🇺🇸
Pullman, Washington, United States

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