Date of Award

2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Science

Department

Nutrition and Food Sciences

First Advisor

Alison Tovar

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact of the evidence-based Healthy Children, Healthy Families (HCHF) curriculum on changes in positive food parenting practices (FPPs).

Design/Setting: Non-experimental pre/post within-subjects design. The study primarily took place at a free healthcare clinic (Clinica Esperanza/Hope Clinic) located in Providence, RI.

Participants: Mother-child dyads were recruited from the community (n=40) and completed baseline data measures for an 8-week group-based intervention, with 24 mother-child dyads completing the intervention. Dyads were primarily Hispanic, and of low socio-economic status.

Intervention: The 8-week, evidence-based HCHF curriculum/intervention was delivered primarily in Spanish to 4 separate groups of mothers by trained paraprofessional educators, or navegantes.

Main Outcome Measures: Mothers completed self-administered surveys pre/post which included demographic questions, seven subscales from the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire, and the 16-item HCHF Behavior Checklist.

Analysis: Descriptive statistics and paired samples t-tests were used to analyze mother-child dyad data (n=40).

Results: There were significant improvements in positive FPPs, including modeling and involvement, (p

Conclusions and Implications: Positive FFPs, and mother and child health behaviors improved after participating in an 8-week group based intervention. Community-based delivery of the HCHF curriculum is feasible and may be effective in improving food parenting practices as well as behaviors that contribute to childhood obesity.

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