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Healthy Children, Healthy Communities: Improving Children's Dietary Intake

This study, "Healthy Children, Healthy Communities," aims to see if a program can help children aged 3-5 in rural family childcare homes eat healthier, especially more fruits and vegetables. It also wants to support childcare providers in using good mealtime practices. The study will test two approaches: "EAT Family Style," which involves online modules and coaching for providers on responsive feeding, and "Better Kid Care," which offers general childcare topics. About 120 licensed family childcare providers in rural Nebraska (and potentially other states) who care for at least two preschool-aged children and participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) will join. The study will measure changes in children's fruit and vegetable consumption over 16 and 24 weeks to see if the programs are successful. The current status of the study is unclear.

Study design
This study is an interventional study with a planned enrollment of 360 participants. It uses a cluster randomized controlled trial design, meaning groups of childcare homes will be randomly assigned to different programs.
What's involved
Rural family childcare home providers in the "EAT Family Style" group will receive 7 online modules over 16 weeks and 7 individual coaching sessions. They will also record mealtime videos for feedback.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Children's fruit and vegetable consumption will be measured at 16 weeks and 24 weeks after the intervention begins.

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NCT07160530

Healthy Children, Healthy Communities: Effectiveness of a Multilevel Rural Community Engagement Model for Improving Children's Dietary Intake in Family Child Care Homes

Recruiting
NAAges 3+InterventionalPrevention
University of Nebraska Lincoln
~360 participants
Updated 2026-09-01 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:EAT Family StyleBetter Kid Care

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in children's observed combined fruit and vegetable consumption [16 weeks]
Measured over From baseline to 16 weeks post-intervention
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Childhood Obesity Pevention
Diet Quality
Feeding Behaviors
Health Behavior Change
Rural Health

Explore related trials

Childhood Obesity

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Nebraska1

Study leadership

  • Dipti Dev, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Nebraska Lincoln

Who to contact

Dipti Dev, PhD
[email protected]
402-472-2605
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Licensed family child care home-based early child care and education settings
Located in RURAL Nebraska or Kansas
Participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Care for at least 2 preschool-aged children (3-5 years old) without feeding disorders or developmental delays
Provide meals and snacks to attending children
Located in a county designated as nonmetropolitan based on the 2023 rural urban continuum codes.
Currently caring for at least two eligible 3-5 year old children who consume at least one meal and one snack in the program for at least two days per week.
Present with children during meals and snacks
Over the age of 19 years
Have not participated in the intervention before
Between 3 to 5 years old
Must consume at least one meal and one snack in the program for at least two days per week.
No dietary restrictions or feeding disorder that impact how they eat (lactose intolerance, egg/nut allergies, or vegetarian diet are acceptable)
Typically developing children (no diagnosis of developmental delays as identified by childcare providers)
Have a parent or guardian 19 years of age or older to consent for them

Exclusion

FCCH provider closes the business
FCCH provider stops serving meals to children
FCCH provider discontinues participation in CACFP and no longer adheres to CACFP meal pattern requirements
FCCH provider loses all eligible study children due to children leaving care, developing developmental delays or feeding disorders, or other reasons making them ineligible
Diagnosis of dietary restrictions or feeding disorder that impact how they eat (soft diet requirements or difficulty swallowing that impacts how they eat)
Diagnosis of developmental delays

What this trial measures

  • Change in children's observed combined fruit and vegetable consumption [16 weeks]From baseline to 16 weeks post-intervention

    Children's fruit and vegetable consumption (servings/day) will be assessed by trained research staff observing two consecutive days of meals and snacks in family child care homes (FCCHs), following the Dietary Observation in Child Care (DOCC) protocol, which allows one observer to record intake for up to three children with minimal disruption. Data will be entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) to convert observed foods into nutrient and food group values. Fruit and vegetable intake will be compared to Dietary Guidelines for Americans to determine each child's two-day average intake.

  • Change in children's observed combined fruit and vegetable consumption [24 weeks]From baseline to 24 weeks post-intervention

    Children's fruit and vegetable consumption (servings/day) will be assessed by trained research staff observing two consecutive days of meals and snacks in family child care homes (FCCHs), following the Dietary Observation in Child Care (DOCC) protocol, which allows one observer to record intake for up to three children with minimal disruption. Data will be entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) to convert observed foods into nutrient and food group values. Fruit and vegetable intake will be compared to Dietary Guidelines for Americans to determine each child's two-day average intake.