Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Feasibility and benefits of a parent-focused preschool child obesity intervention
Elizabeth McGarvey1, Adrienne Keller, Mena Forrester
1Department of Psychiatric Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. rel8s@virginia.edu
Objectives:
This field study tested the feasibility and benefits of a program to promote 6 targeted parental behaviors to prevent obesity in children served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Methods:
Two WIC sites participated in a nonrandomized, controlled 1-year prospective study to assess parents' self-reported behavior changes.
Results:
Statistical analyses of preintervention and postintervention assessments of parental behavior demonstrated significant changes in 2 behaviors: frequency of offering the child water and frequency of engaging in active play with the child. In both cases, the intervention proved effective in increasing the desired behavior.
Conclusions:
The findings demonstrate the feasibility of changing parental behaviors through multidimensional education in a WIC clinic setting.
