Improving Preschool Childrens Food Knowledge and Acceptance to Lower Obesity Risk A Nutrition Education Program with Healthy Eating Lessons and Parent Support

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of a nutrition education program on preschool childrens food literacy and acceptance, aiming to reduce obesity risk. The study involves 450 children aged 3 to 5 years attending center-based childcare programs serving mostly families eligible for SNAP in Pennsylvania. It compares children receiving a basic nutrition program to those receiving an added healthy eating curriculum and parent education to see if these additions improve food knowledge and healthy choices. All children receive the Eating the Alphabet curriculum, which introduces a new fruit or vegetable each week with 27 lessons. Parents get web-based resources related to this curriculum. Children in the intervention group also receive a Healthy Eating curriculum with classroom materials and teacher training to improve the food and mealtime environment. Additionally, parents in the intervention group receive web-based lessons on responsive food parenting. Early childhood educators in intervention classrooms complete training on increasing food acceptance in preschoolers. Participants will be involved over a 14-month period with measurements taken before, during, and after the intervention. Researchers assess childrens food acceptance, willingness to try new foods, food literacy, knowledge, and food choices, as well as changes in child weight status. The study includes child, teacher, classroom, and parent outcomes to understand how to improve nutrition knowledge and acceptance of fruits and vegetables in young children.

Increasing Food Literacy in Preschoolers to Reduce Obesity Risk