Trial Outcomes & Findings for A Home-based Intervention to Improve the Diet Quality of Preschoolers (NCT NCT03923491)

Participants were recruited through a variety of active and passive strategies. For active recruitment, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutritionists collected contact information of interested participants, which was then passed to research staff for follow-up. Study staff members also recruited caregivers in WIC waiting rooms or child welfare organizations.

A Home-based Intervention to Improve the Diet Quality of Preschoolers

HEI-2015 scores will be calculated from twenty four hour recall data (two of them which are combined and scored per 1000 kcal or as a % of intake per NCI scoring guidelines). HEI was designed to measure diet quality in terms of how well diets conform to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The total HEI score represents the sum of 12 components scores (minimum component can be 0 and maximum component score shown in parentheses for each), including total fruit (5), whole fruit (5), total vegetables (5), green and beans (includes dark green vegetables and cooked, dried beans and peas because intakes of these types of vegetables are furthest from the amounts recommended in the USDA Food Patterns) (5), whole grain (10), dairy (10), total protein food (5), seafood and plant proteins (5), fatty acids (10), refined grains (10), sodium (10) added sugar (10), saturated fat (10). Higher scores reflect better outcomes.

The intervention effects on 14 subscales of the Food Parenting Inventory were used as secondary outcome measures: Encourage try new foods (P), Encourage exploration of new foods (P), Urge child to eat new foods (P), Repeated Presentation of New foods (P), Family meals (P), Regular timing of meals and snacks (P), Inconsistent mealtimes (N), Indifferent feeding (N), Child involvement in food preparation (P), Pressure to Eat (N), Restriction (N), Food as a reward (N), Responsiveness to child's fullness cues (P), Monitoring (P). We also use one subscale of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire: Healthy Eating Guidance (P). All scales are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (min) to 5 (max). Higher subscale scores indicate greater use of that child feeding practice. We have noted which practice has more positive/desirable practices with a (P) and more negative/not desired sub-scales have an (N) with higher scores.

Home Food Inventory Change Scores. Home food inventory (HFI) will be used to assess a wide range of commonly available foods in the home environment. A total healthy food availability score will be created from the following items (fruit- frozen, canned, fresh or dried, vegetables-frozen, fresh or canned, milk, water, whole grains, legumes) with a higher score representing more availability of healthy foods. Scores can range from 0-11. An unhealthy food score will also be created from the following items (Chips, Cakes/Cookies, Candy, Pastries, Juice, Soda, Sports drinks, Sweetened Beverages)- scores can range from 0-8 with higher scores representing availability of unhealthy foods.