Empowering parents to optimize feeding practices with preschool children (EPO-Feeding): A study protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial

Author:

Wang JianORCID,Cao YangORCID,Wei Xiaoxue,Winkley Kirsty,Chang Yan-ShingORCID

Abstract

Background Parental feeding practices (PFPs) play a key role in fostering preschoolers’ dietary habits and in mitigating the risk of childhood obesity. Nevertheless, parents often employ inappropriate feeding practices, leading to children’s potential nutrition-related issues. Thus, research is needed to inform interventions that focus on optimizing feeding practices. Methods This protocol describes the evaluation of a novel intervention—Empowering Parents to Optimize Feeding Practices (EPO-Feeding Program). The program will be evaluated with a two-arm feasibility randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Yangzhou, China. The program includes four weekly group-based training sessions led by healthcare professionals for parents of preschool children. The intervention incorporates sessions, group discussions, motivational interviewing, and supplementary materials (e.g., key messages and educational videos) aimed at enhancing parents’ knowledge, skills, and behaviours related to feeding practices. The primary outcomes include i) implementation feasibility, primarily assessed through retention rates; and ii) program acceptability through a survey and qualitative process evaluation. Secondary outcomes encompass the potential impacts on i) PFPs, ii) parental perception of child weight (PPCW), iii) parenting sense of competence, iv) children’s eating behaviours, and v) child weight status. Quantitative analyses include descriptive estimates for evaluating the feasibility and linear mixed regression analysis for testing the potential effects. Qualitative valuation will use thematic framework analysis. Discussion If this study shows this program to be feasible to implement and acceptable to parents, it will be used to inform a fully powered trial to determine its effectiveness. The research will also help inform policy and practices in the context of child nutrition promotion, particularly regarding implementing group-based training sessions by healthcare providers in similar settings. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, Protocol #NCT06181773, 20/11/2023.

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Reference89 articles.

1. World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight [Internet]. [updated 2024-03-01; cited 2024-04-28]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.

2. New predictors of the metabolic syndrome in children—role of adipocytokines;A Körner;Pediatr Res,2007

3. Five-year obesity incidence in the transition period between adolescence and adulthood: the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health;P Gordon-Larsen;Am J Clin Nutr,2004

4. Childhood BMI and Adult Type 2 Diabetes, Coronary Artery Diseases, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Cardiometabolic Traits: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis;T Geng;Diabetes care,2018

5. Epidemiology and determinants of obesity in China.;XF Pan;Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol,2021

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3