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Simple Suppers: Findings from a Family Meals Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention

Rogers, Catherine Ann

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2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Ohio State University Nutrition.
Background: 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 rage to include younger children who are laying the foundation of their eating patterns and are capable of participating in family meal preparations. The purpose of this dissertation research was to address this research gap by developing and assessing the effectiveness of a 10-week multi-component family meals intervention targeting underserved families with children 4-10 years old, aimed at eliciting positive changes in child diet and weight status. Methods: A 10-week family meals program (Simple Suppers) designed for underserved families with 4-10 year old children from racially diverse backgrounds was implemented as a pre-test-post-test, multi-cohort, quasi-experimental trial with waitlist control. The 10, 90-minute program lessons were delivered weekly over the dinner hour at a faith-based community center. Session components included: a) interactive group discussion of strategies to overcome family meal barriers, plus weekly goal setting for caregivers; b) engagement in age- appropriate food preparation activities for children; and c) groupfamily meal for caregivers and children. Main outcome measures were change in: child diet quality and child standardized body mass index (BMI). Caregiver diet and BMI, along with frequency of family meals, were also assessed. Results: At baseline, 95 families (children: n=126; caregivers: n=95) enrolled in the study. Among child participants, approximately 62% were female, 60% identified as Black, mean age was 6.9 years old, and mean BMI z-score was 0.69. Among caregiver participants, 98% were female, 62% identified as Black, 50% were between 31-40 years old, and mean BMI was 33.0. Approximately 40% of participating families were reliant on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and children (WIC), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and/or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Generalized linear models, adjusted baseline values and demographics, demonstrated a program attendance intervention effect on child BMI z-score, with children attending >7 classes having a significant decrease in BMI z-score post-test, which was maintained during the follow-up period. Similarly, a significant decrease in caregiver BMI was observed among intervention caregivers at post-test, regardless of level of attendance, and maintained during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Participation in Simple Suppers at a 70% level led to a decreased child BMI z-score, which was maintained at the 10-week follow-up. In addition, participation in the Simple Suppers program led to a decreased BMI among caregivers, regardless of level of attendance, which was maintained at the 10-week follow-up. Results from this study demonstrate the potential for engagement in an evidence-based family meals program to positively impact child weight status among a racially diverse sample of school-aged children, of significance given the ongoing childhood obesity epidemic.
Carolyn Gunther, PhD (Advisor)
Sarah Anderson, PhD (Committee Member)
Carla Miller, PhD (Committee Member)
Keeley Pratt, PhD (Committee Member)
337 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Rogers, C. A. (2017). Simple Suppers: Findings from a Family Meals Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492688206338527

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Rogers, Catherine. Simple Suppers: Findings from a Family Meals Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492688206338527.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Rogers, Catherine. "Simple Suppers: Findings from a Family Meals Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1492688206338527

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)