This pilot study evaluates the feasibility and impact of a father-focused childhood obesity prevention program on paternal food-related parenting practices, mealtime behaviors and father/child nutrition and physical activity behaviors. Half of participants (low-income father and child dyads) will receive an intervention immediately while the other half of participants will serve as a wait-list control group and receive the intervention at a later date.
All participants (low-income father and child dyads) will receive an 8 session (2 hours/session) (DAD) including community-based, hands-on, nutrition and parent education intervention with between-session technology enhancements. Dyads will be randomly assigned within groups of 10 to DAD or a wait-list control group (DELAY). Assessments will be conducted at pre, post and 1 month post including a subset of data from cohabiting mothers to assess moderating influences on outcomes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
72
The proposed intervention will evaluate and explore the unique influences that low-income fathers have on their preschool age children's obesogenic behaviors and obesity risk.
Hockanum School, Head Start Program
East Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Manchester Preschool Center
Manchester, Connecticut, United States
Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire
Food-related parenting practices including parental support, control, structure, feeding
Time frame: Change from baseline at 8 weeks
Father & child diet quality
Diet quality assessed using Healthy Eating Index (24 hour recall)
Time frame: Change from baseline at 8 weeks
Father & child BMI/BMI Z-Score
Time frame: Change from baseline at 8 weeks
Meals in Our Household questionnaire
Mealtime behaviors and practices including shopping, meal planning, cooking, family meals
Time frame: Change from baseline at 8 weeks
Healthy Kids Questionnaire
Father and child nutrition behaviors including vegetable and sweetened beverage intake frequency \& Physical activity behaviors including play and screen time
Time frame: Change from baseline at 8 weeks
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