None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Childhood nutrition is intricately tied to trajectories of health, growth and wellbeing across the life-course. Children from low-income backgrounds have been found to be more likely to experience poor nutrition and attendant consequences including obesity. Childcare services are potential sites for intervention prior to school entry. International studies have highlighted that poor quality mealtime interactions between educators and children, including low sensitivity and mealtime rigidity, inhibit a child’s learning to like a variety of nutritious foods. This study will apply direct in-situ observation methodologies and parent survey to 1) observe mealtimes in childcare in low income communities; and 2) identify how childcare settings can support healthy food environments. The key hypothesis, tested within this study, is that positive feeding practices in childcare moderates the relationship between parent feeding practices and child eating behaviour in preschool aged children.
Interventions
Mealtimes in Early Childhood Education Centres (ECEC services) will be observed. In situ observations of childcare mealtime practices will be conducted approximately 4-weeks after the online survey will be completed by parents (this survey has been developed for the purpose of this study and includes standard items regarding food secutiry, feeding practices and children's fussy eating behaviours).
Observations using standard tools will capture six areas of mealtime practice: (1) mealtime struct
Mealtimes in Early Childhood Education Centres (ECEC services) will be observed. In situ observations of childcare mealtime practices will be conducted approximately 4-weeks after the online survey will be completed by parents (this survey has been developed for the purpose of this study and includes standard items regarding food secutiry, feeding practices and children's fussy eating behaviours). Observations using standard tools will capture six areas of mealtime practice: (1) mealtime structure, (2) child-educator relational quality, (3) restriction and reward, (4) meal content and timing, (5) child eating behaviours, and (6) feeding practices. Observations of practices, child behaviour, child-educator interactions, and educator behaviour will be conducted over 1 to 2 days within each service.
Sponsors
Professor Karen Thorpe
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
3 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria at the service level will include services located in Logan City (Queensland, Australia) with a 3-5 age group room. Inclusion criteria at the child level will include enrolment in the 3-5 age group room. Parents must be 18-years or older and are required to read and complete questionnaires in English (or seek assistance from the research team over the phone). Families who do not have proficient English will be consulted through community liaison officers as per protocols used in prior studies. The definition of parent is not limited to biological parents, but includes a main caregiver of the child, extending to step-, adoptive- or grand-parents.
Exclusion criteria
Nil.
Outcome results
None listed