- Title
- A randomised controlled trial and mediation analysis of the 'Healthy Habits', telephone-based dietary intervention for preschool children
- Creator
- Fletcher, Amanda; Wolfenden, Luke; Wyse, Rebecca; Bowman, Jenny; McElduff, Patrick; Duncan, Sarah
- Relation
- The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Vol. 10
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-43
- Publisher
- BioMed Central Ltd
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2013
- Description
- Background: Consumption of non-core foods in childhood is associated with excessive weight gain in childhood. Parents play a vital role in establishing healthy diet behaviours in young children. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a telephone-based intervention in reducing child consumption of non-core foods, and to examine parent and home food environment mediators of change in child consumption. Methods: The ‘Healthy Habits’ trial utilised a clustered randomised controlled design. Setting/participants: Parents were recruited from 30 preschools (N = 394 participants, mean age 35.2±5.6 years). Parents randomized to the intervention group received four telephone contacts and print materials. Parents allocated to the control condition receive generic print materials only. Non-core food consumption was assessed using a validated child dietary questionnaire at baseline, 2 and 6 months post recruitment in 2010. Results: The intervention was effective in reducing child consumption of non-core foods at 2 months (intention to treat analysis: z=-2.83, p<.01), however this effect was not maintained at 6 months. Structural equation modelling using 2 month data indicated that child access to non-core foods in the home and child feeding strategies mediated the effect of the intervention. Conclusion: The telephone-based intervention shows promise in improving short term dietary behaviour in preschool age children, however further development is needed to sustain the effect in the long-term.
- Subject
- dietary habits; preschool children; healthy habits; telephone-based intervention; diet behaviours
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1054313
- Identifier
- uon:15732
- Identifier
- ISSN:1479-5868
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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