Healthy Environments Study (HEROs)

Bridging Home and Preschool Environments to Promote Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors and Prevent Obesity in Early Childhood

Obesity is a multi-dimensional problem that has roots in infancy and tracks into adulthood. Obesity is represented disproportionately among children and families from low socioeconomic and minority backgrounds, particularly in rural areas that have limited access to food, activity, and health-related services. There is a need for culturally-tailored, effective interventions that can positively impact the environments (home, preschool, community) in which young children grow and develop their eating and activity behaviors. Developing family interventions, particularly for families with limited resources, requires improving caregivers' health literacy and home food/activity environments, and also requires tailoring to accommodate the realities of stressful and unpredictable family settings. The overall objective of this proposed HEROs Study (HEalthy EnviROnments Study) is to develop a companion, technology-based, interactive family intervention that will promote healthy lifestyles for young children in both Head Start and family settings.

This intervention study will test the impact of the intervention through a quasi-experimental staggered implementation pilot design. The aims will test whether the implementation of a parent-child interaction intervention, focusing on eating and activity behaviors, will improve children's eating behaviors, motor performance and parent-child interactions in these domains. This project seeks to answer the following research questions:

1. Do children participating in the family-based intervention demonstrate enhanced PA and eating behaviors?

   • Hypothesis 1.1: Children receiving the family-based intervention will have higher PA levels and enhanced motor skills compared to children in the control group.
   • Hypothesis 1.2: Children receiving the family-based intervention will demonstrate enhanced eating behaviors compared to children in the control group.

2. Can the home environment be improved by parents' self-monitoring of food availability and electronic devices; and the application of mindful parenting strategies?

   • Hypothesis 2.1: Evaluation of food items in the home and electronic devices in the child's bedroom will demonstrate a more positive home environment of participants receiving the family-based HEROs intervention.
   • Hypothesis 2.2: Parents will report more positive parent-child interactions after receiving the family-based HEROs intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults who identify as the primary caregiver of a child enrolled in a Head Start or preschool center ;
• Caregivers who report their child is without disability, illness, or disorder that would significantly affect dietary or activity behaviors (e.g., diabetes, cerebral palsy);
• Participants who communicate in either English or Spanish language.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Caregivers with children who have a disability, illness, or disorder that would significantly affect dietary or activity behaviors.