The keys to healthy family child care homes intervention: study design and rationale

Area of Science:

• Child Health and Nutrition
• Public Health Interventions
• Obesity Prevention

Background:

• Obesity is a significant public health concern requiring early preventive strategies.
• Child care settings, including Family Child Care Homes (FCCH), are influential environments for young children's development.
• FCCHs, serving millions of U.S. children, have been under-researched regarding their role in child health behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the efficacy of the Keys to Healthy Family Child Care Homes (Keys) intervention.
• To evaluate the intervention's impact on providers as healthy role models and the creation of supportive FCCH environments.
• To assess the intervention's effect on children's physical activity and dietary intake.

Main Methods:

• A cluster-randomized controlled trial design was employed.
• The intervention involved workshops, home visits, coaching calls, and educational toolkits for FCCH providers.
• Primary outcomes included child physical activity (accelerometry) and dietary intake (direct observation).

Main Results:

• The Keys intervention demonstrated an innovative approach to promoting healthy behaviors in young children.
• The study targeted a key developmental period and addressed both provider and child behaviors.
• The intervention was delivered in a novel setting (FCCHs) to synergistically promote child health.

Conclusions:

• The Keys intervention is an innovative strategy for promoting healthy eating and physical activity in early childhood.
• This approach uniquely targets the FCCH setting, a critical environment for child development.
• By addressing provider and child behaviors, the intervention aims for synergistic health benefits.