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A pragmatic randomised controlled trial of an implementation intervention to increase healthy eating and physical
Meghan Finch1, Sze Lin Yoong1, Rebecca J Thomson2
1Hunter New England Population Health, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Insights
This study evaluated an intervention to help childcare services implement healthy eating and physical activity guidelines. The goal was to increase the adoption of obesity prevention policies and practices in early childhood settings.
Area of Science:
- Childhood Obesity Prevention
- Public Health Interventions
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Promoting healthy eating and physical activity in early childhood is crucial for chronic disease prevention.
- Childcare settings are ideal for implementing these healthy habits.
- Lack of evidence hinders the routine implementation of obesity prevention guidelines in childcare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of an intervention for childcare staff.
- To increase the implementation of healthy eating and physical activity policies and practices in childcare services.
Main Methods:
- A 10-month pragmatic randomized controlled trial involving 165 Australian childcare services.
- Intervention group received performance review and resources; control group was waitlisted.
- Outcomes measured by telephone interviews assessing implementation of specific healthy practices at baseline and 12 months.
Main Results:
- The study is designed to assess the proportion of services meeting all recommended healthy eating and physical activity practices.
- Key practices include written policies, parent information, nutrition experiences, appropriate food/drink provision, daily movement activities, and limited screen time.
- Effectiveness will be determined by comparing intervention and control groups at 12 months.
Conclusions:
- The intervention aims to improve the implementation of evidence-based obesity prevention strategies in childcare.
- Findings will inform future efforts to embed healthy practices in early childhood education settings.
- Successful implementation can contribute to long-term health outcomes for children.
Background:
Promotion of healthy eating and physical activity in early childhood is recommended as a global chronic disease prevention strategy. Centre-based childcare services represent a promising setting to provide children with opportunities to improve healthy eating and physical activity. Evidence to inform implementation of childcare obesity prevention guidelines into routine practice in childcare, however, is lacking. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of an intervention, delivered to childcare staff, aiming to increasing service implementation of healthy eating and physical activity-promoting policies and practices.
Methods And Analysis:
A pragmatic parallel group randomised controlled trial will be undertaken with 165 childcare services in the Hunter New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Services will be randomised to receive either a 10-month evidence-based performance review intervention with other resources to support practice change, or to a waitlist control group. The primary trial outcome is the proportion of services implementing all of the following recommended healthy eating and physical activity promoting practices: written nutrition, physical activity and small screen recreation policies; providing information to families regarding healthy eating (including breastfeeding), physical activity and small screen time; providing twice weekly healthy eating learning experiences to children; providing water and only plain milk to children; providing fundamental movement skills activities for children every day; and limiting and using electronic screen time more for educational purposes and learning experiences. Effectiveness will be assessed using a telephone interview of practice implementation with childcare staff at baseline and 12 months following baseline.
Ethics And Dissemination:
The study was approved by the Hunter New England Human Research Ethics Committee and the University of Newcastle Human Research Ethics Committee. Study findings will be disseminated widely through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
Trial Registration Number:
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12614000972628.
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