Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
A Randomized Controlled Cluster Trial of an Obesity Prevention Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs:
Ruby Natale1, Michelle Schladant1, Martha H Bloyer2
1Mailman Center for Child Development, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Insights
The Healthy Caregivers-Healthy Children project adapted an obesity prevention program for children with special health care needs (CSHCN). This intervention in childcare centers showed promise in addressing dietary intake and physical activity, crucial for child health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric obesity prevention
- Child health and development
- Public health interventions
Background:
- Children with disabilities exhibit higher obesity rates compared to typically developing peers.
- Childcare centers offer a vital setting for implementing obesity prevention strategies targeting vulnerable populations.
- Addressing modifiable risk factors in early childhood is critical for long-term health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate an adapted obesity prevention program, Healthy Caregivers-Healthy Children Phase 3 (HC3), for children with special health care needs (CSHCN).
- To assess the program's impact on dietary intake, physical activity (PA), and body mass index (BMI) percentile in young children.
- To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing such interventions within childcare center settings.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving ten childcare centers (CCCs) serving low-resource families, with five centers in the intervention group and five in the control group.
- The intervention included adapted policies for snacks, beverages, PA, screen time, tailored lesson plans for CSHCN, and parent curricula.
- Data collection utilized the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool, dietary and PA assessments, and child BMI percentile measurements over three school years.
Main Results:
- The HC3 program provided weekly technical assistance and adapted curricula, with modifications for CSHCN and COVID-19 safety protocols.
- Intervention delivery was sustained over three years, with scaled-back frequency in years two and three to ensure capacity building.
- Primary outcomes focused on changes in dietary intake, PA levels, and BMI percentile among participating children.
Conclusions:
- Childcare centers are effective settings for obesity prevention programs targeting children with special health care needs.
- The HC3 project demonstrated a structured approach to adapting and delivering interventions for CSHCN in group settings.
- Further research is warranted to confirm long-term impacts on obesity and related health behaviors in this population.
Abstract:
Children with disabilities have higher prevalence estimates of obesity than typically developing children. The Healthy Caregivers-Healthy Children Phase 3 (HC3) project implemented an obesity prevention program adapted for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) that includes dietary intake and physical activity (PA) components. The primary outcome was a change in dietary intake, PA, and the body mass index (BMI) percentile. Ten childcare centers (CCCs) serving low-resource families with ≥30 2- to 5-year-olds attending were randomized to either the intervention (n = 5) or control (n = 5). The HC3 CCCs received (1) snack, beverage, PA, and screen time policies via weekly technical assistance; (2) adapted lesson plans for CSHCN; and (3) parent curricula. The control CCCs received a behavioral health attention curriculum. HC3 was delivered over three school years, with data collected at five different timepoints. It was delivered weekly for six months in year one. To ensure capacity building, the HC3 tasks were scaled back, with quarterly intervention delivery in year 2 and annually in year 3. Adaptations were made to the curriculum to ensure appropriate access for CSHCN. Given that the program was being delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, special modifications were made to follow CDC safety standards. The primary outcome measures included the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool, standardized dietary intake and PA assessments, and the child BMI percentile. CCCs are an ideal setting for targeting CSHCN for obesity prevention efforts as they provide an opportunity to address modifiable risk factors.
More Related Videos
06:13Author Spotlight: Exploring the Impact of Reduced Resistance Exercise Volume on Metabolic Health
Published on: December 1, 2023
00:04A Clinical Trial Assessing the Safety, Efficacy, and Delivery of Olive-Oil-Based Three-Chamber Bags for Parenteral Nutrition
Published on: September 20, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:13Randomized Experiments
Simple randomization
Simple...
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services