Family and Web-based Nutrition Intervention to Increase Vegetable, Fruit, and Dairy Intakes in Children

The Impact of an Innovative Family and Web-based Nutrition Intervention to Increase Vegetable, Fruit, and Dairy Intakes in Children With Overweight or Obesity: A Single-blinded Randomized Family Clustered Intervention

Considering the high prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide, effective interventions are needed . Parental involvement in interventions and the use of web-based modalities appear to be promising approaches. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of an innovative family and Web-based nutrition intervention called "Family Nutriathlon" on consumption of vegetables and fruit and dairy products and/or alternatives and on diet quality among children and their parents.

Forty-three families, with at least one child with a BMI >85th percentile, participated in either the intervention (n=24) or control group (n=19) over an 8-week period. Families in the intervention (Family Nutriathlon) will participated in a nutrition challenge that aimed to increase their consumption and variety of fruits and vegetables and dairy products by recording their daily intakes using a Web-based platform. Families in the control group received recommendations based on general nutrition guidelines. Three follow-ups with a dietitian once every two weeks via Skype to assess progress were scheduled. A three-day food record was completed at baseline (week 0), immediately after (week 8) and 6 months after the intervention. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess changes in consumption of fruits and vegetables and dairy products, diet quality and dietary intakes between groups and over time.

All inclusion/exclusion criterion were the same between the two projects (including the intervention) except for the inclusion of a child living with obesity or overweight.

Children were aged between 8 and 16 years, but there was no age limit for parents.