The goals of this study are to 1) pilot the feasibility of a novel meal kit delivery intervention in families and children with food insecurity and obesity and 2) evaluate the implementation of the pilot intervention.
Childhood obesity prevalence is rising in the U.S. and is known to track into adulthood, increasing the risks of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Households of children with obesity also face unmet social needs, such as food insecurity. Food insecurity is associated with poorer dietary quality and higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes in adults; however, data are inconsistent and less known regarding longitudinal health effects in children. Because food insecurity and childhood obesity tend to co-occur in Black, Hispanic, and lower-income households, there is an urgent need to examine and intervene in the social determinants associated with rising childhood obesity prevalence.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
59
Dyads (caregiver + child) receive one meal kit delivery per week. One meal kit is designed to include two recipes and ingredients to prepare 10 servings (\~2 meals for a household 5 people). Meal kits come with printed picture-based recipes in English or Spanish and access to online cooking demonstrations.
Dyads (caregiver + child) receive a printed newsletter in English and Spanish that lists additional local food assistance resources. Dyads receive a referral to the clinic's associated food pantry.
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Study Feasibility: Recruitment
Proportion of eligible participants who were recruited and enrolled in the intervention, prior to randomization.
Time frame: 2 months to baseline
Study Feasibility: Randomization
Number of participants enrolled per month, then subject to randomization.
Time frame: At baseline
Study Feasibility: Retention
Number of participants retained at each study visit
Time frame: At the baseline first study visit (baseline), at the second study visit (week 6-8), and at the third study visit (week 14-16).
Study Feasibility: Protocol
Number of participants who reported receipt of all six weeks of meal kit delivery
Time frame: Third study visit (week 14-16)
Study Feasibility: Adherence - Caregivers
Total number of recipes prepared by caregivers
Time frame: Third study visit (week 14-16)
Study Feasibility: Adherence - Children
Number of children who tasted/ate food from the meal kit
Time frame: Third study visit (week 14-16)
Study Feasibility: Assessments
Proportion of planned assessments completed at each study visit
Time frame: At the baseline first study visit (baseline), at second study visit (week 6-8), and at third study visit (week 14-16)
Number of Participants With Household Food Insecurity at the First Study Visit
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Severity of food insecurity was assessed using the US Household Food Security Survey Module, which is categorized by the raw score into: Zero: High food security 1-2: Marginal food security 3-7: Low food security 8-18: Very low food security
Time frame: At the baseline first study visit (baseline)
Number of Participants With Household Food Insecurity at Second Study Visit
Severity of food insecurity was assessed using the US Household Food Security Survey Module, which is categorized by the raw score into: Zero: High food security 1-2: Marginal food security 3-7: Low food security 8-18: Very low food security
Time frame: At second study visit (week 6-8)
Number of Participants With Household Food Insecurity at Third Study Visit
Severity of food insecurity was assessed using the US Household Food Security Survey Module, which is categorized by the raw score into: Zero: High food security 1-2: Marginal food security 3-7: Low food security 8-18: Very low food security
Time frame: At third study visit (week 14-16)
Change in BMI For Children With BMI Assessments At All Visits
Weight and height were combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2 based on Centers for Disease Control growth curves.
Time frame: At baseline, at second study visit (week 6-8), and at third study visit (week 14-16)
Change in BMI Percentage of the 95th Percentile for Children With BMI Assessments at All Visits
BMI percentage of the 95th percentile (BMIp95) was calculated using CDC extended BMI-for-age growth charts for children with BMI assessments at all study visits
Time frame: At baseline, at second study visit (week 6-8), and at third study visit (week 14-16)