The Impact of the Healthy Children, Healthy Families Curriculum on Maternal Food Parenting Practices
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.
Recommended Citation
Otterbach, Laura E., "The Impact of the Healthy Children, Healthy Families Curriculum on Maternal Food Parenting Practices" (2016). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 887.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/887
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