Parent and child care provider partnerships: Protocol for the Healthy Me, Healthy We (HMHW) cluster randomized control trial

Abstract

Background: Formation of diet and physical activity habits begins during early childhood. However, many preschool-aged children in the United States do not achieve recommendations for a nutritious diet or active lifestyle. Two important spheres of influence, home and child care, could ensure that children receive consistent health messages. Innovative approaches that engage both parents and child care providers in a substantial way are needed. Social marketing, a promising approach for health promotion targeting children, uses principles that recognize the need to engage multiple stakeholders and to emphasize benefits and overcome barriers associated with behavior change. Yet, application of social marketing principles in interventions for preschool-age children is limited.

Methods: Healthy Me, Healthy We (HMHW) is 2-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of a 8-month social marketing campaign on the diet and physical activity behaviors of preschool children (3-4years old), their parents, and child care providers. The campaign is delivered by the child care center and includes branded classroom and at-home activities and materials. Primary outcomes are children's diet quality (assessed with Healthy Eating Index scores) and minutes of non-sedentary activity (measured via accelerometers). Secondary outcomes assess children's body mass index, nutrition and physical activity practices at the child care center and at home, and health behaviors of child care providers and parents.

Conclusion: HMHW is an innovative approach to promoting healthy eating and physical activity in preschool children. The campaign targets children during a key developmental period and leverages a partnership between providers and parents to affect behavior change.

Keywords: Child care intervention; Diet; EPAO; Healthy behaviors; Physical activity; Social marketing.