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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #299809
Title: A randomized controlled trial to prevent childhood obesity through early childhood feeding and parenting guidance: Rationale and design of study

Author
item REIFSNIDER, ELIZABETH - Arizona State University
item MC CORMICK, DAVID - University Of Texas Medical Branch
item CULLEN, KAREN - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item SZALACHA, LAURA - The Ohio State University
item MORAMARCO, MICHAEL - Arizona State University
item DIAZ, ABIGAIL - City Of Houston
item REYNA, LUCY - Reina Enterprises

Submitted to: BioMed Central(BMC) Public Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/3/2013
Publication Date: 9/24/2013
Citation: Reifsnider, E., Mc Cormick, D.P., Cullen, K.W., Szalacha, L., Moramarco, M.W., Diaz, A., Reyna, L. 2013. A randomized controlled trial to prevent childhood obesity through early childhood feeding and parenting guidance: Rationale and design of study. BioMed Central(BMC) Public Health. 13:880.

Interpretive Summary: Early and rapid growth in infants is strongly associated with early development of obesity in young children. The goal of this study is to compare the effectiveness of home visits by Community Health Workers (CHW) to standard care received through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, infants, and Children (WIC) office visits in preventing the development of overweight and obesity in infants during their first three years of life. Pregnant women in their third trimester will be recruited and be assigned to either the intervention or control group. This study will provide information on the effects of an intervention to prevent childhood obesity in children at high risk for obesity. It will have wide-ranging applicability and the potential for rapid dissemination through the WIC program, and will demonstrate the effectiveness of a community approach though employing CHWs in preventing obesity during the first three years of life.

Technical Abstract: Early and rapid growth in infants is strongly associated with early development and persistence of obesity in young children. Substantial research has linked child obesity/overweight to increased risks for serious health outcomes, which include adverse physical, psychological, behavioral, or social consequences. The goal of this study is to compare the effectiveness of structured Community Health Worker (CHW) provided home visits, using an intervention created through community based participatory research, to standard care received through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) office visits in preventing the development of overweight (weight/length =85th percentile) and obesity (weight/length =95th percentile) in infants during their first three years of life. One hundred forty pregnant women in their third trimester (30–36) weeks will be recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. This study will provide prospective data on the effects of an intervention to prevent childhood obesity in children at high risk for obesity due to ethnicity, income, and maternal body mass index (BMI). It will have wide-ranging applicability and the potential for rapid dissemination through the WIC program, and will demonstrate the effectiveness of a community approach though employing CHWs in preventing obesity during the first three years of life. This easy to implement obesity prevention intervention can be adapted for many locales and diverse communities and can provide evidence for policy change to influence health throughout life.