Pairing Feeding Content With a Nutrition Education Curriculum: A Comparison of Online and In-Class Delivery

Abstract

Objective: To develop a childhood obesity prevention program, Food, Feeding and Your Family (FFYF), which encourages eating self-regulation in young children. This article describes the research methods for FFYF. Activities that will be used to guide the development of the program are illustrated in a logic model.

Design: A randomized control trial will be conducted with participant groups randomized into 1 of 3 conditions: (1) in-class delivery of feeding content and nutrition education, (2) online delivery of feeding content and in-class delivery of nutrition education, and (3) nutrition education only. Assessments will be collected at baseline, program completion, and 6 and 12 months after completion of the program.

Setting: Study will be conducted through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Colorado and Washington State.

Participants: Parents with 2- to 8-year-old children will be recruited from affiliated community agencies, 540 participants across both states.

Interventions: FFYF derives content from an empirically validated parental feeding program, Strategies for Effective Eating Development, and will be administered with Eating Smart • Being Active, an evidence-based, nutrition education curriculum.

Main outcome measures: Parents will report on feeding practices, child eating behaviors, feeding styles, and acculturation.

Analysis: Because of the nested nature of the data, multilevel analyses will be used: time points, within parents, and within groups.

Keywords: EFNEP; childhood obesity prevention program; family-based; nutrition education; online delivery.