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Bestle SMS, Lassen AD, Biltoft-Jensen AP, Matthiessen J, Gibbons SJ, Christensen BJ, Ersbøll BK, Trolle E. Reduction in intake of discretionary foods and drinks among Danish schoolchildren: dietary results from the real-life cluster-randomised controlled trial 'Are You Too Sweet?'. Public Health Nutr 2024; 27:e111. [PMID: 38528814 PMCID: PMC11036427 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980024000740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of the multicomponent intervention trial 'Are You Too Sweet?' in reducing discretionary foods and drinks intake among young schoolchildren. DESIGN The study was a 3·5-month two-arm cluster-randomised controlled trial among primary schoolchildren and their families. School health nurses provided guidance to families regarding discretionary foods and drinks for the children. Moreover, families were given a variety of knowledge- and capability-building materials to utilise at home. Dietary intake was assessed using a web-based 7-d dietary record. Linear mixed regression models were used to estimate intervention effects as changes in child intake of discretionary foods and drinks and sugar between groups. SETTING Six schools from a Danish municipality were randomised to the intervention group (n 4) or the control group (n 2). PARTICIPANTS A total of 153 children aged 5-7 years. RESULTS No significant reduction in the children's intake of total discretionary foods and drinks or discretionary foods alone was observed between the intervention and control group, while a decreased intake of discretionary drinks of 40·9 % (P = 0·045) was observed compared with control. Secondary subgroup analysis showed that children of parents with shorter educational level significantly reduced their intake of added sugar by 2·9 E% (P = 0·002). CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate that multicomponent interventions involving school health nurses may have some effects in reducing, especially, discretionary drinks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidse Marie Sidenius Bestle
- Division of Food Technology, National Food Institute,
Technical University of Denmark, Henrik Dams Allé, Building
202, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anne Dahl Lassen
- Division of Food Technology, National Food Institute,
Technical University of Denmark, Henrik Dams Allé, Building
202, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anja Pia Biltoft-Jensen
- Division of Food Technology, National Food Institute,
Technical University of Denmark, Henrik Dams Allé, Building
202, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jeppe Matthiessen
- Division of Food Technology, National Food Institute,
Technical University of Denmark, Henrik Dams Allé, Building
202, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sarah Jegsmark Gibbons
- Division of Food Technology, National Food Institute,
Technical University of Denmark, Henrik Dams Allé, Building
202, Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Bjarne Kjær Ersbøll
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science,
Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby,
Denmark
| | - Ellen Trolle
- Division of Food Technology, National Food Institute,
Technical University of Denmark, Henrik Dams Allé, Building
202, Lyngby, Denmark
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Chan J, Conroy P, Phongsavan P, Raubenheimer D, Allman-Farinelli M. Systems map of interventions to improve dietary intake of pre-school aged children: A scoping review. Prev Med 2023; 177:107727. [PMID: 37848165 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Implementation and sustaining impact of early childhood nutrition interventions in practice remains a challenge. An understanding of the extent to which determinants across multiple levels of the food system are being addressed may improve success. This literature review aimed to synthesise the evidence on interventions targeting dietary intake and eating behaviours in preschool children using a systems approach. Eligible studies included intervention studies targeting the dietary intake of preschool children aged 2-5 years in high income countries, published in English after January 2000. Interventions were categorised to the Determinants of Nutrition and Eating (DONE) framework for children developed and evaluated by experts across multiple fields. The framework maps and ranks 411 factors driving eating behaviours and nutrition and can be used to systematically summarise determinants. DONE ranks each determinant for its perceived research priority. A total of 160 eligible studies were identified. Most interventions targeted interpersonal (n = 101, 63.1%) and individual (n = 85, 53.1%) level determinants, with fewer targeting environmental (n = 55, 34.4%) and policy level (n = 17, 10.6%) determinants. The most frequently addressed determinants were Parental Resources and Risk Factors (n = 85) and Children's Food Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (n = 67). These determinants had a Moderate research priority rating. Home Food Availability and Accessibility at the environmental level is classified as the highest research priority, however, only 15 of 160 interventions addressed this determinant. This review highlights home food availability and accessibility as potential leverage points for future interventions to improve children's dietary intake and eating behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Chan
- Nutrition and Dietetics Group, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Patrick Conroy
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Philayrath Phongsavan
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Margaret Allman-Farinelli
- Nutrition and Dietetics Group, Sydney Nursing School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Grady A, Jackson J, Wolfenden L, Lum M, Yoong SL. Assessing the scalability of healthy eating interventions within the early childhood education and care setting: secondary analysis of a Cochrane systematic review. Public Health Nutr 2023; 26:3211-3229. [PMID: 37990443 PMCID: PMC10755435 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980023002550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is a recommended setting for the delivery of health eating interventions 'at scale' (i.e. to large numbers of childcare services) to improve child public health nutrition. Appraisal of the 'scalability' (suitability for delivery at scale) of interventions is recommended to guide public health decision-making. This study describes the extent to which factors required to assess scalability are reported among ECEC-based healthy eating interventions. DESIGN Studies from a recent Cochrane systematic review assessing the effectiveness of healthy eating interventions delivered in ECEC for improving child dietary intake were included. The reporting of factors of scalability was assessed against domains outlined within the Intervention Scalability Assessment Tool (ISAT). The tool recommends decision makers consider the problem, the intervention, strategic and political context, effectiveness, costs, fidelity and adaptation, reach and acceptability, delivery setting and workforce, implementation infrastructure and sustainability. Data were extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer. SETTING ECEC. PARTICIPANTS Children 6 months to 6 years. RESULTS Of thirty-eight included studies, none reported all factors within the ISAT. All studies reported the problem, the intervention, effectiveness and the delivery workforce and setting. The lowest reported domains were intervention costs (13 % of studies) and sustainability (16 % of studies). CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate there is a lack of reporting of some key factors of scalability for ECEC-based healthy eating interventions. Future studies should measure and report such factors to support policy and practice decision makers when selecting interventions to be scaled-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Grady
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Population Health Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- National Centre of Implementation Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Jacklyn Jackson
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Population Health Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
- National Centre of Implementation Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Luke Wolfenden
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Population Health Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- National Centre of Implementation Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Melanie Lum
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Population Health Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- National Centre of Implementation Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Sze Lin Yoong
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- National Centre of Implementation Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia
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Yoong SL, Lum M, Wolfenden L, Jackson J, Barnes C, Hall AE, McCrabb S, Pearson N, Lane C, Jones JZ, Nolan E, Dinour L, McDonnell T, Booth D, Grady A. Healthy eating interventions delivered in early childhood education and care settings for improving the diet of children aged six months to six years. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023; 8:CD013862. [PMID: 37606067 PMCID: PMC10443896 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd013862.pub3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dietary intake during early childhood can have implications on child health and developmental trajectories. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are recommended settings to deliver healthy eating interventions as they provide access to many children during this important period. Healthy eating interventions delivered in ECEC settings can include strategies targeting the curriculum (e.g. nutrition education), ethos and environment (e.g. menu modification) and partnerships (e.g. workshops for families). Despite guidelines supporting the delivery of healthy eating interventions in this setting, little is known about their impact on child health. OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of healthy eating interventions delivered in ECEC settings for improving dietary intake in children aged six months to six years, relative to usual care, no intervention or an alternative, non-dietary intervention. Secondary objectives were to assess the impact of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions on physical outcomes (e.g. child body mass index (BMI), weight, waist circumference), language and cognitive outcomes, social/emotional and quality-of-life outcomes. We also report on cost and adverse consequences of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions. SEARCH METHODS We searched eight electronic databases including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, Scopus and SportDiscus on 24 February 2022. We searched reference lists of included studies, reference lists of relevant systematic reviews, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar, and contacted authors of relevant papers. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), including cluster-RCTs, stepped-wedge RCTs, factorial RCTs, multiple baseline RCTs and randomised cross-over trials, of healthy eating interventions targeting children aged six months to six years that were conducted within the ECEC setting. ECEC settings included preschools, nurseries, kindergartens, long day care and family day care. To be included, studies had to include at least one intervention component targeting child diet within the ECEC setting and measure child dietary or physical outcomes, or both. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Pairs of review authors independently screened titles and abstracts and extracted study data. We assessed risk of bias for all studies against 12 criteria within RoB 1, which allows for consideration of how selection, performance, attrition, publication and reporting biases impact outcomes. We resolved discrepancies via consensus or by consulting a third review author. Where we identified studies with suitable data and homogeneity, we performed meta-analyses using a random-effects model; otherwise, we described findings using vote-counting approaches and via harvest plots. For measures with similar metrics, we calculated mean differences (MDs) for continuous outcomes and risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous outcomes. We calculated standardised mean differences (SMDs) for primary and secondary outcomes where studies used different measures. We applied GRADE to assess certainty of evidence for dietary, cost and adverse outcomes. MAIN RESULTS We included 52 studies that investigated 58 interventions (described across 96 articles). All studies were cluster-RCTs. Twenty-nine studies were large (≥ 400 participants) and 23 were small (< 400 participants). Of the 58 interventions, 43 targeted curriculum, 56 targeted ethos and environment, and 50 targeted partnerships. Thirty-eight interventions incorporated all three components. For the primary outcomes (dietary outcomes), we assessed 19 studies as overall high risk of bias, with performance and detection bias being most commonly judged as high risk of bias. ECEC-based healthy eating interventions versus usual practice or no intervention may have a positive effect on child diet quality (SMD 0.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04 to 0.65; P = 0.03, I2 = 91%; 6 studies, 1973 children) but the evidence is very uncertain. There is moderate-certainty evidence that ECEC-based healthy eating interventions likely increase children's consumption of fruit (SMD 0.11, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.18; P < 0.01, I2 = 0%; 11 studies, 2901 children). The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions on children's consumption of vegetables (SMD 0.12, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.25; P =0.08, I2 = 70%; 13 studies, 3335 children). There is moderate-certainty evidence that ECEC-based healthy eating interventions likely result in little to no difference in children's consumption of non-core (i.e. less healthy/discretionary) foods (SMD -0.05, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.08; P = 0.48, I2 = 16%; 7 studies, 1369 children) or consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SMD -0.10, 95% CI -0.34 to 0.14; P = 0.41, I2 = 45%; 3 studies, 522 children). Thirty-six studies measured BMI, BMI z-score, weight, overweight and obesity, or waist circumference, or a combination of some or all of these. ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may result in little to no difference in child BMI (MD -0.08, 95% CI -0.23 to 0.07; P = 0.30, I2 = 65%; 15 studies, 3932 children) or in child BMI z-score (MD -0.03, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.03; P = 0.36, I2 = 0%; 17 studies; 4766 children). ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may decrease child weight (MD -0.23, 95% CI -0.49 to 0.03; P = 0.09, I2 = 0%; 9 studies, 2071 children) and risk of overweight and obesity (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.01; P = 0.07, I2 = 0%; 5 studies, 1070 children). ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may be cost-effective but the evidence is very uncertain (6 studies). ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may have little to no effect on adverse consequences but the evidence is very uncertain (3 studies). Few studies measured language and cognitive skills (n = 2), social/emotional outcomes (n = 2) and quality of life (n = 3). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may improve child diet quality slightly, but the evidence is very uncertain, and likely increase child fruit consumption slightly. There is uncertainty about the effect of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions on vegetable consumption. ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may result in little to no difference in child consumption of non-core foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. Healthy eating interventions could have favourable effects on child weight and risk of overweight and obesity, although there was little to no difference in BMI and BMI z-scores. Future studies exploring the impact of specific intervention components, and describing cost-effectiveness and adverse outcomes are needed to better understand how to maximise the impact of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Lin Yoong
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Melanie Lum
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Luke Wolfenden
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Jacklyn Jackson
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Courtney Barnes
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Alix E Hall
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Sam McCrabb
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Nicole Pearson
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Cassandra Lane
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Jannah Z Jones
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Erin Nolan
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Lauren Dinour
- College of Education and Human Services, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey, USA
| | - Therese McDonnell
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Debbie Booth
- Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Alice Grady
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
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5
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Yoong SL, Lum M, Wolfenden L, Jackson J, Barnes C, Hall AE, McCrabb S, Pearson N, Lane C, Jones JZ, Dinour L, McDonnell T, Booth D, Grady A. Healthy eating interventions delivered in early childhood education and care settings for improving the diet of children aged six months to six years. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023; 6:CD013862. [PMID: 37306513 PMCID: PMC10259732 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd013862.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dietary intake during early childhood can have implications on child health and developmental trajectories. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are recommended settings to deliver healthy eating interventions as they provide access to many children during this important period. Healthy eating interventions delivered in ECEC settings can include strategies targeting the curriculum (e.g. nutrition education), ethos and environment (e.g. menu modification) and partnerships (e.g. workshops for families). Despite guidelines supporting the delivery of healthy eating interventions in this setting, little is known about their impact on child health. OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of healthy eating interventions delivered in ECEC settings for improving dietary intake in children aged six months to six years, relative to usual care, no intervention or an alternative, non-dietary intervention. Secondary objectives were to assess the impact of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions on physical outcomes (e.g. child body mass index (BMI), weight, waist circumference), language and cognitive outcomes, social/emotional and quality-of-life outcomes. We also report on cost and adverse consequences of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions. SEARCH METHODS We searched eight electronic databases including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, Scopus and SportDiscus on 24 February 2022. We searched reference lists of included studies, reference lists of relevant systematic reviews, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar, and contacted authors of relevant papers. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), including cluster-RCTs, stepped-wedge RCTs, factorial RCTs, multiple baseline RCTs and randomised cross-over trials, of healthy eating interventions targeting children aged six months to six years that were conducted within the ECEC setting. ECEC settings included preschools, nurseries, kindergartens, long day care and family day care. To be included, studies had to include at least one intervention component targeting child diet within the ECEC setting and measure child dietary or physical outcomes, or both. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Pairs of review authors independently screened titles and abstracts and extracted study data. We assessed risk of bias for all studies against 12 criteria within RoB 1, which allows for consideration of how selection, performance, attrition, publication and reporting biases impact outcomes. We resolved discrepancies via consensus or by consulting a third review author. Where we identified studies with suitable data and homogeneity, we performed meta-analyses using a random-effects model; otherwise, we described findings using vote-counting approaches and via harvest plots. For measures with similar metrics, we calculated mean differences (MDs) for continuous outcomes and risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous outcomes. We calculated standardised mean differences (SMDs) for primary and secondary outcomes where studies used different measures. We applied GRADE to assess certainty of evidence for dietary, cost and adverse outcomes. MAIN RESULTS: We included 52 studies that investigated 58 interventions (described across 96 articles). All studies were cluster-RCTs. Twenty-nine studies were large (≥ 400 participants) and 23 were small (< 400 participants). Of the 58 interventions, 43 targeted curriculum, 56 targeted ethos and environment, and 50 targeted partnerships. Thirty-eight interventions incorporated all three components. For the primary outcomes (dietary outcomes), we assessed 19 studies as overall high risk of bias, with performance and detection bias being most commonly judged as high risk of bias. ECEC-based healthy eating interventions versus usual practice or no intervention may have a positive effect on child diet quality (SMD 0.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04 to 0.65; P = 0.03, I2 = 91%; 6 studies, 1973 children) but the evidence is very uncertain. There is moderate-certainty evidence that ECEC-based healthy eating interventions likely increase children's consumption of fruit (SMD 0.11, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.18; P < 0.01, I2 = 0%; 11 studies, 2901 children). The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions on children's consumption of vegetables (SMD 0.12, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.25; P =0.08, I2 = 70%; 13 studies, 3335 children). There is moderate-certainty evidence that ECEC-based healthy eating interventions likely result in little to no difference in children's consumption of non-core (i.e. less healthy/discretionary) foods (SMD -0.05, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.08; P = 0.48, I2 = 16%; 7 studies, 1369 children) or consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SMD -0.10, 95% CI -0.34 to 0.14; P = 0.41, I2 = 45%; 3 studies, 522 children). Thirty-six studies measured BMI, BMI z-score, weight, overweight and obesity, or waist circumference, or a combination of some or all of these. ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may result in little to no difference in child BMI (MD -0.08, 95% CI -0.23 to 0.07; P = 0.30, I2 = 65%; 15 studies, 3932 children) or in child BMI z-score (MD -0.03, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.03; P = 0.36, I2 = 0%; 17 studies; 4766 children). ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may decrease child weight (MD -0.23, 95% CI -0.49 to 0.03; P = 0.09, I2 = 0%; 9 studies, 2071 children) and risk of overweight and obesity (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.01; P = 0.07, I2 = 0%; 5 studies, 1070 children). ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may be cost-effective but the evidence is very uncertain (6 studies). ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may have little to no effect on adverse consequences but the evidence is very uncertain (3 studies). Few studies measured language and cognitive skills (n = 2), social/emotional outcomes (n = 2) and quality of life (n = 3). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may improve child diet quality slightly, but the evidence is very uncertain, and likely increase child fruit consumption slightly. There is uncertainty about the effect of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions on vegetable consumption. ECEC-based healthy eating interventions may result in little to no difference in child consumption of non-core foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. Healthy eating interventions could have favourable effects on child weight and risk of overweight and obesity, although there was little to no difference in BMI and BMI z-scores. Future studies exploring the impact of specific intervention components, and describing cost-effectiveness and adverse outcomes are needed to better understand how to maximise the impact of ECEC-based healthy eating interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Lin Yoong
- Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Melanie Lum
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Luke Wolfenden
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Jacklyn Jackson
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Courtney Barnes
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Alix E Hall
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Sam McCrabb
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Nicole Pearson
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Cassandra Lane
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Jannah Z Jones
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
| | - Lauren Dinour
- College of Education and Human Services, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey, USA
| | - Therese McDonnell
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Debbie Booth
- Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Alice Grady
- Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton, Australia
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Cheah WL, Poh BK, Ruzita AT, Lee JAC, Koh D, Reeves S, Essau C, Summerbell C, Noor Hafizah Y, Anchang GNJ, Gibson EL. Process evaluation of a kindergarten-based intervention for obesity prevention in early childhood: the Toybox study Malaysia. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1082. [PMID: 37280555 PMCID: PMC10242774 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16023-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toybox is a kindergarten-based intervention program that targets sedentary behavior, snacking and drinking habits, as well as promoting physical activity in an effort to improve healthy energy balance-related behaviors among children attending kindergartens in Malaysia. The pilot of this program was conducted as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 837 children from 22 intervention kindergartens and 26 control kindergartens respectively. This paper outlines the process evaluation of this intervention. METHODS We assessed five process indicators: recruitment, retention, dosage, fidelity, and satisfaction for the Toybox program. Data collection was conducted via teachers' monthly logbooks, post-intervention feedback through questionnaires, and focus group discussions (FGD) with teachers, parents, and children. Data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. RESULTS A total of 1072 children were invited. Out of the 1001 children whose parents consented to join, only 837 completed the program (Retention rate: 88.4%). As high as 91% of the 44 teachers and their assistants engaged positively in one or more of the process evaluation data collection methods. In terms of dosage and fidelity, 76% of parents had received newsletters, tip cards, and posters at the appropriate times. All teachers and their assistants felt satisfied with the intervention program. However, they also mentioned some barriers to its implementation, including the lack of suitable indoor environments to conduct activities and the need to make kangaroo stories more interesting to captivate the children's attention. As for parents, 88% of them were satisfied with the family-based activities and enjoyed them. They also felt that the materials provided were easy to understand and managed to improve their knowledge. Lastly, the children showed positive behaviors in consuming more water, fruits, and vegetables. CONCLUSIONS The Toybox program was deemed acceptable and feasible to implement by the parents and teachers. However, several factors need to be improved before it can be expanded and embedded as a routine practice across Malaysia.
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Affiliation(s)
- W L Cheah
- Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
| | - B K Poh
- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - A T Ruzita
- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - J A C Lee
- Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - D Koh
- Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - S Reeves
- University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - C Essau
- University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | | | | | - G N J Anchang
- Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
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Lehto R, Vepsäläinen H, Lehtimäki AV, Lehto E, Leppänen MH, Skaffari E, Abdollahi AM, Roos E, Erkkola M, Ray C. Effects of the DAGIS randomized controlled trial on home environment and children's food consumption according to the degree of implementation. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:2268. [PMID: 36471322 PMCID: PMC9720976 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14639-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Combining process evaluation data with effectiveness data and examining the possible mediators of intervention effects elicits valuable knowledge about how and for whom these interventions are effective. The aim of this study was to examine whether the parental degree of implementation (DOI) of a home-involving preschool intervention affected children's food consumption via home mediators. METHODS The five-month Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) intervention involved 476 participating children aged 3-6 years and was conducted in 2017-2018. Parents reported children's food consumption (g/day) outside childcare hours, the availability of foods at home, role modelling of food consumption, and the norms related to food consumption. In addition, parents reported the extent to which they had implemented the intervention program at home. Mediation analyses were conducted to examine the effect of low and high DOI compared to control group on the change in children's consumption of fruit and vegetables (FV), sugary everyday foods, sugary treats, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) via food availability in the home, parental role modelling and parental norms. RESULTS Compared to the control group, there was a direct effect of a high DOI on diminishing consumption of SSB (B -27.71, 95% CI -49.05, -4.80). No indirect effects were detected. In the high DOI group, a change in parental norm was associated with increased FV consumption showing an indirect effect (B 4.31, 95% CI 0.23, 10.59). In the low DOI group, there was an indirect effect via decreased food availability leading to decreased sugary everyday food consumption (B -2.17, 95% CI -5.09, -0.09). CONCLUSIONS Combining process evaluation and effectiveness data revealed a decrease in children's SSB consumption only in the high DOI group, as well as indirect effects on children's consumption of FV and sugary everyday foods. In order to gain more intervention effects, further studies are required in order to examine parental facilitators and barriers to the implementation of interventions and how to impact effectively the determinants of the targeted behavior. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN57165350 (8 January, 2015).
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Affiliation(s)
- Reetta Lehto
- grid.428673.c0000 0004 0409 6302Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Henna Vepsäläinen
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aku-Ville Lehtimäki
- grid.428673.c0000 0004 0409 6302Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elviira Lehto
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box, 00014 Helsinki, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marja H. Leppänen
- grid.428673.c0000 0004 0409 6302Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Essi Skaffari
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna M. Abdollahi
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eva Roos
- grid.428673.c0000 0004 0409 6302Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland ,grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of food studies, Nutrition and Dietetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maijaliisa Erkkola
- grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carola Ray
- grid.428673.c0000 0004 0409 6302Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Violant-Holz V, Rodríguez-Silva C, Carol M, Rodríguez MJ. Impact of cocreation training capsules for preschool teachers on children's healthy habits: a pilot study conducted in Barcelona, Spain. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:2089. [PMID: 34774028 PMCID: PMC8590630 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-12160-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Healthy habits are essential for preschoolers to have a healthy lifestyle. The promotion of these healthy habits from a holistic approach by preschool teachers guarantees a better quality of life and a healthier society. Using cocreation, we designed training for healthy habit promotion for preschool teachers (all@once). Then, we implemented the training and evaluated its impact on classroom teaching strategies. Methods This study presents the all@once training design and its implementation and evaluation during 2019. The cocreation process involved 8 parents, 9 preschool teachers and 9 health professionals (selected by a nonprobabilistic sampling system according to quotas) to design training from a holistic perspective. To evaluate the all@once impact in classroom practice, a pilot study was undertaken in four public schools in Barcelona (Spain). All@once was implemented with 16 volunteer teachers selected by convenience sampling and 328 children. A mixed methods approach was chosen to collect data based on direct nonparticipating naturalist systematic observations in June and October 2019. After qualitative data categorization, changes in health routines and actions at school were assessed by either contingency table analysis of frequency distributions or nonparametric comparisons of two related samples. Results The cocreation process provided training organized into online capsules with a holistic view of health in four main dimensions (nutrition, hygiene, physical activity and emotional health). Of these dimensions, the emotional health dimension comprised half of the training content. Pilot testing of the impact of all@once on classroom health-related activities evidenced an increase in the likelihood of observing fruit consumption by children, healthy habit promotion and hand washing. The most significant all@once-induced changes that we observed were related to teaching strategies concerning the emotional health dimension of the training. Conclusions This pilot study provides evidence of cocreation being a productive way to design training for preschool teachers regarding inclusive education in integral health. This approach collects the needs of the school community, provides training with a holistic concept of health and effectively impacts classroom routines and family health habits in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Violant-Holz
- Department of Didactic and Educational Organization, Faculty of Education, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,International Observatory in Hospital Pedagogy, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlota Rodríguez-Silva
- Department of Didactic and Educational Organization, Faculty of Education, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Carol
- Institute for Lifelong Learning Foundation (IL3-UB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Current address: Academic Area, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel J Rodríguez
- Department Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, c/Casanova 143, E-08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain. .,Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.
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