Feasibility and benefits of a parent-focused preschool child obesity intervention.
OBJECTIVE
This field study tested the feasibility and benefits of a program to promote 6 targeted parental behaviors to prevent obesity in children served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).


METHODS
Two WIC sites participated in a nonrandomized, controlled 1-year prospective study to assess parents' self-reported behavior changes.


RESULTS
Statistical analyses of preintervention and postintervention assessments of parental behavior demonstrated significant changes in 2 behaviors: frequency of offering the child water and frequency of engaging in active play with the child. In both cases, the intervention proved effective in increasing the desired behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings demonstrate the feasibility of changing parental behaviors through multidimensional education in a WIC clinic setting.
McGarvey
Elizabeth
E
Department of Psychiatric Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. rel8s@virginia.edu
Keller
Adrienne
A
Forrester
Mena
M
Williams
Erin
E
Seward
Donna
D
Suttle
David E
DE
D000328:Adult; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000592:standards; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014768:Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology