title: Mothers of preschoolers report using less pressure in child feeding situations following a newsletter intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the impact of written intervention materials on child feeding practices of mothers and on physical activity behaviors of preschoolers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mothers were divided into 3 groups: newsletter (n = 30), booklet (n = 31), and control (n = 31). Questionnaires were completed before and after a 12-week intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mail correspondence.
  
  
  METHODS
  White (90%), full-time mothers (76%) in their thirties (68%).
  
  
  METHODS
  Nutrition and activity information was provided as twelve 4-page weekly newsletters or one 52-page booklet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Child feeding factors, physical activity practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Child feeding factors were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon. Physical activity practices were analyzed using 2-way chi-square and sign tests. The significance level was set at .0125.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant decrease in the "pressure to eat" score for participants in the newsletter group (2.5 +/- 1.0 to 2.1 +/- 1.0, P < .01). No other differences in feeding practices were observed. At baseline, 43% of the mothers said their child spent at least 1 hour per day in active play, and 63% said their child watched television less than 2 hours per day. A significant increase in outdoor play was reported in the newsletter (P < .01) and control (P < .01) groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is one of the first to indicate that child feeding practices may be modifiable.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Women's Health, Texas Woman's University, Denton, Texas 76204, USA. EEssery@mail.twu.edu
authors.forename: Eve V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Essery
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: DiMarco
authors.forename: Shannon S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Nichols
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires