Empowering Parents to Optimize Feeding Practices With Preschool Children (EPO Feeding Program)

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

84 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-12-08

Study Completion Date

2024-03-31

Brief Summary

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Parental feeding practices are critical in shaping preschool children's eating habits and preventing childhood obesity. However, parents frequently adopt inappropriate feeding practices that are not optimal for their children's health and may result in children's nutrition-related problems. Thus, the research team developed a psychoeducational intervention - Empowering Parents to Optimize Feeding Practices with Preschool Children (EPO Feeding program) to support healthier feeding practices. The primary objective of this study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of the EPO Feeding program. The secondary objective is to test the potential effects of the EPO Feeding program against a control group, on parental feeding practices, parental perception of their child's weight, parenting sense of competence, their child's eating behaviors, and their child's BMI-Z scores.

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Detailed Description

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The development process of the EPO Feeding program was conducted according to the MRC framework and included a systematic review of the relevant literature and stakeholder participation through qualitative interviews with parents and healthcare professionals and focus groups with kindergarten staff. The cross-sectional study was also conducted to determine if parental perception of child weight had a close link to their specific feeding practices. It also provided information on the frequency of specific feeding practices in the research setting, which aided inform the prioritization of intervention content. After structuring the EPO Feeding program, more stakeholders were engaged to further refine the intervention before designing the feasibility RCT.

After completing the baseline assessment, parents of preschool children who are responsible for their child's eating behaviors and family food environment will be randomized and allocated to one of the groups through a concealed computerized random number generator. Participants in the intervention group will receive the EPO Feeding program and usual care. EPO Feeding program includes four, weekly group training sessions for parents of preschool children (aged 2-6) led by healthcare professionals. The intervention incorporates lessons and information (i.e., slide shows and handouts), group discussions, motivational interviewing, and other supplementary materials (e.g., stories, key messages, and educational videos) to improve parents' knowledge, skills, and behaviors regarding feeding preschool children. After each module, homework activities will be assigned to participants to help reinforce their knowledge, skills, and behaviors. The motivational interviewing will be conducted by healthcare professionals to provide individual support. Moreover, a WeChat group will be set up to facilitate parental involvement, learning, and communication. Parents will complete the measures immediately after the 4-week program, and at one-month follow-up.

The primary outcomes are i) feasibility measured through retention rates and adherence; ii) acceptability of the program to parents and the healthcare professionals delivering the program through an anonymous survey, qualitative process evaluation, and fidelity of intervention delivery. The secondary outcomes focus on the potential program effects on i) parental feeding practices; ii) parents' accurate perception of their child's weight; iii) parenting sense of competence; iv) parental accounts of their child's eating behaviors; and v) children's BMI-Z scores.

Conditions

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Feeding Practices

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

The participants will be randomly allocated to two arms: the intervention group and the control group.

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Due to the nature of the study, only the research members who collect and analyze the data from participants can be masked to the randomization.

Study Groups

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EPO Feeding program + Usual care (intervention group)

Participants in the intervention group will receive the EPO Feeding program and usual care. EPO Feeding program includes four, weekly group training sessions for parents of preschool children (aged 2-6) led by healthcare professionals. The intervention incorporates lessons and information (i.e., slide shows and handouts), group discussions, motivational interviewing, and other supplementary materials (e.g., stories, key messages, and educational videos) to improve parents' knowledge, skills, and behaviors regarding feeding preschool children. After each module, homework activities will be assigned to participants to help reinforce their knowledge, skills, and behaviors. The motivational interviewing will be conducted by healthcare professionals to provide individual support. Moreover, a WeChat group will be set up to facilitate parental involvement, learning, and communication.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

EPO Feeding Program

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The EPO Feeding program focused on providing parents with information based on scientific evidence and the most current nutritional recommendations regarding positive feeding practices and healthy eating during the preschool years.

Usual care (control group)

Parents involved in the control group will receive usual care, which is the printed materials of child health-related dietary recommendations published by the Chinese government/Nutrition Society. These materials will also be distributed to the participants in the intervention group. After the final data collection at one-month follow-up, participants from this control group will be offered the complete material package of the EPO Feeding program, their child's weight status measured at the final time point and provided access to pre-recorded modules by healthcare professionals as a incentive.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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EPO Feeding Program

The EPO Feeding program focused on providing parents with information based on scientific evidence and the most current nutritional recommendations regarding positive feeding practices and healthy eating during the preschool years.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Parents who are the caregivers (caregivers (i.e., parents who are responsible for the family food environment and their preschool children's eating
2. One of their children aged 2 to 6 years (if (more than) two preschool children, the parent is instructed to focus on the child whose eating, nutrition or weight status they are more concerned about)
3. Parents are aged ≥18 years
4. Able to provide informed consent
5. Able to speak and write Chinese

Exclusion Criteria

1. Parents with diagnosed severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, uncontrolled bipolar disorder, or mental retardation that would prevent participation in the feasibility intervention.
2. Their preschool children with diseases that influence their eating and nutrition (e.g., diagnosed eating disorders).
3. Parents who have eating disorders or are pregnant during the study period.
4. Parents or parents with children who are participating in another intervention related to child growth and nutrition.
5. Parents who have participated in previous aspects of the intervention development (e.g., focus groups).

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes