Simple Suppers: Child Findings of a Family Meals Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention

IMPACT. 1: Dietary: Increase frequency of fruit & vegetable intake Increase in overall diet quality (Healthy Eating Index) Decrease intake of sugar-sweetened beverages -- 2. Anthropometric/Biometric: Achieve healthy weight (BMI z-score) Achieve healthy age-/sex-appropriate waist circumference & systolic, diastolic BP -- 3. Food Preparation: Increase child food preparation skills & involvement.OSU PARTNERS: College of Education and Human Ecology, Department of Human Sciences: doctoral candidate, Ms. Catherine (Katy) Rogers and faculty, Drs. Carolyn Gunther, Sarah Anderson, Carla Miller, Keeley Pratt; College of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology; Department of Statistics: Dr. Christopher HollomanCOMMUNITY PARTNERS: Faith-based organizations including, Vineyard Community Center and Westerville Area Resources Ministry (WARM)PRIMARY CONTACT: Carolyn Gunther ([email protected])Given the ongoing childhood obesity public health crisis and potential protective effect of family meals, there is need for additional family meals research, specifically experimental studies with expanded health outcomes that focus on the at-risk populations in highest need of intervention. Future research, specifically intervention work, would also benefit from an expansion of the target age range to include younger children, who are laying the foundation of their eating patterns and capable of participating in family meal preparations. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of participation in an evidence-based, field-tested 10-week family meals intervention (Simple Suppers, SS), aimed at eliciting positive changes in child dietary intake and weight status. We hypothesized that diet quality, body mass index (BMI) z-scores, waist circumference (WC) z-scores, blood pressure (BP) z-scores and child food preparation skills/frequency would improve more from baseline to post-intervention among children participating in the intervention than in the controls

Simple Suppers: A novel approach to childhood obesity prevention

IMPACT. 1: Preliminary data demonstrate that children of families who participate in the program have improved food preparation skills (e.g., rinsing fruits and vegetables) and eating behaviors (e.g., increased fruit consumption, decreased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages). -- 2. Also, participating parents demonstrate improved self-efficacy for instilling positive food choices and eating behaviors for their children and also an increased number of family meals prepared and shared at home.OSU PARTNERS: College of Education and Human Ecology; Department of Human Sciences; College of Medicine; OSU ExtensionCOMMUNITY PARTNERS: Schoenbaum Family Center; Nationwide Children's HospitalPRIMARY CONTACT: Carolyn Gunther ([email protected])Simple Suppers is a hands-on nutrition education and cooking program designed to teach parents and their preschool children positive food choices and eating behaviors. The program has been in the pilot test phase for the past several years at a low-income urban daycare center in Columbus, Ohio. Our curriculum is based on the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and consists of 10 X 90 min. lessons. The program is designed to be delivered over the dinner hour in the daycare setting

Testing Efficacy of a Theory-Based Nutrition Education Recreation and Fitness Program Aimed at Preventing Unhealthy Weight Gain in Disadvantaged Children during Summer Months: Negative Results with Policy Implications

IMPACT. 1: zBMI (decrease) -- 2. Whole fruits and vegetables (increase); high-fat/high-sodium foods, high-added sugar foods and beverages (decrease) -- 3. Physical activity (increase); sedentary behaviors (decrease); screen time (decrease)OSU PARTNERS: College of Education and Human Ecology; Department of Human SciencesCOMMUNITY PARTNERS: Children's Hunger Alliance; Columbus City SchoolsPRIMARY CONTACT: Carolyn Gunther ([email protected]); Laura Hopkins ([email protected])Data indicate that school-aged children, particularly disadvantaged, experience unhealthy gains in BMI at a rate two to three times as fast during the summer versus academic months. Few efforts have been directed at implementing evidence-based programming to prevent this negative trend. Pilot tested in 2015, Camp NERF 2016 was a citywide scale up of an 8-week, multi-component (nutrition, physical activity (PA), and mental health) theory-based program for disadvantaged school-age children in grades K-5 coupled with the USDA Summer Food Service Program

Examination of the Relationship of Dairy Product Consumption and Dietary Calcium with Body Mass Index Percentile in Children

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships of dairy product and calcium intake with BMI percentile in children. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, the relationships of dairy product (cup equivalents/day) and dietary calcium (mg/day) (measured by 24 hour recall) consumption with BMI percentile [derived from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sex-specific BMI-for-age growth charts] were assessed in 101 healthy U.S. children (ages 8-13). Results: Subject characteristics included (mean + SD): dairy product consumption (2.8 + 1.4 cup equivalents/day), dietary calcium (1039.4 + 431.4 mg/day), and BMI percentile (70.1 + 29.7). Dairy product intake and dietary calcium were inversely related to BMI percentile (p= 0.005). In subjects <85th BMI percentile (n= 50 normal weight and n= 3 underweight), there was an inverse association of dairy product intake with BMI percentile (p= 0.001) and calcium intake with BMI percentile (p< 0.001). However, no association of dairy product consumption or calcium intake with BMI percentile was observed in overweight (85th percentile ≤ BMI < 95th percentile, n= 19) or obese subjects (BMI > 95th percentile, n= 29). Removal of underweight subjects from the analysis only minimally impacted the results. Differences in dietary intake (MyPyramid food groups, calories, macronutrients, micronutrients) among normal, overweight, and obese subgroups were examined. No significant differences were detected between groups, and removing underweight subjects did not change the findings. Conclusions: These results provide the basis for further investigation into a potential role of dairy and calcium in achieving a healthy body weight in children

Influence of Parenting Practices on Eating Behaviors of Early Adolescents during Independent Eating Occasions: Implications for Obesity Prevention

Among early adolescents (10–14 years), poor diet quality along with physical inactivity can contribute to an increased risk of obesity and associated biomarkers for chronic disease. Approximately one-third of United States (USA) children in this age group are overweight or obese. Therefore, attention to factors affecting dietary intake as one of the primary contributors to obesity is important. Early adolescents consume foods and beverages during eating occasions that occur with and without parental supervision. Parents may influence eating behaviors of early adolescents during eating occasions when they are present or during independent eating occasions by engaging in practices that affect availability of foods and beverages, and through perceived normative beliefs and expectations for intake. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to describe the influence of parenting practices on eating behaviors in general and when specifically applied to independent eating occasions of early adolescents. This information may be helpful to inform parenting interventions targeting obesity prevention among early adolescents focusing on independent eating occasions

Determining the Feasibility of Milk Vending Machines to Improve Calcium Intake Among College Students

Calcium intake declines from late adolescence to young adulthood, in part, due to decreases in accessibility to milk and dairy products. While milk vending has shown demonstrated success in secondary schools, no studies have examined whether milk vending improves calcium intake among college students. We hypothesized that milk and calcium intake would be higher among college students given access to milk vending in their dormitory (milk vending consumers) compared to those lacking access in their dormitory (non-milk vending consumers). Milk vending machines were installed in two dormitories, and two dormitories having non-milk beverage vending served as comparison sites. Students completed a calcium intake questionnaire at the point of milk (n = 73) or non-milk (n = 79) beverage vending purchases. Mean total calcium intake was higher in milk vending consumers (1245 + 543 mg/d) compared to non-milk vending consumers (1042 + 447 mg/d) (p = 0.01). Adjusting for gender and milk vending consumer status, there was a positive association between past month milk vending purchases and daily calcium intake from milk (p \u3c 0.001). Fiftyseven students without in-dormitory access to milk vending reported an interest in milk vending if made available. Milk vending may serve as a novel approach

Parents\u27 Calcium Knowledge Is Associated with Parental Practices to Promote Calcium Intake Among Parents of Early Adolescent Children

The study reported here aimed to identify the relationship of parents\u27 calcium knowledge with diet-related parental practices and determinants of calcium knowledge. A cross-sectional survey was conducted measuring parental practices, calcium knowledge, and demographics. A convenience sample of 599 racially/ethnically diverse parents of children 10-13y completed questionnaires. Higher education and having a daughter were associated with higher calcium knowledge; being Asian or Hispanic and born outside the U.S. were associated with lower calcium knowledge. Parents with greater calcium knowledge were more likely to engage in healthy parenting practices. These factors may be important considerations for Extension educators in nutrition education