Healthy Eating for My Infant (HEMI)

University of Cincinnati

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pediatric Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Healthy Eating for My Infant

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04977947

2020-0698

Details and patient eligibility

About

Infants from underserved and minority backgrounds are at increased risk for obesity and poor feeding and nutrition outcomes, but obesity prevention programs tailored specifically to the needs of these infants are lacking. The current study takes a community-engaged approach to development and delivery of an adaptively tailored obesity prevention program delivered via home visiting to target infant eating and feeding (Healthy Eating for My Infant; HEMI).

Full description

Poor dietary habits and obesity-risk begin early in infancy. Infants from underserved and minority backgrounds experience disparate rates of poor nutritional outcomes and subsequent health disparities related to obesity. Each infant and their family experiences a unique set of risk factors and barriers to healthy eating. However, obesity prevention programs that are culturally and contextually relevant for underserved families and adapted based on the needs of individual families are lacking. The current study will develop an obesity prevention program, Healthy Eating for My Infant (HEMI), using a community-engaged approach involving community members in development and delivery of the program. HEMI targets healthy infant feeding through six monthly sessions with infants 3-8 months old. The program will be delivered as a supplement to an already existing evidence-based home visiting program, Every Child Succeeds (ECS), serving families with primarily low income and ethnic/racial minority backgrounds.

Development of an adaptive and effective obesity prevention program meeting the needs of underserved infants is critical for addressing health disparities in infant eating and obesity.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 2 to 9 months old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Infant enrolled in the Every Child Succeeds (ECS) program
• Infant age is < 2 months at study recruitment
• Infant born at > 37 weeks gestation
• Infant is a singleton
• Maternal age is > 18 years (in order to consent for child to participate)
• Mother is fluent in English or Spanish

Exclusion criteria

• Infant has a major medical condition that requires specialized feeding

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Healthy Eating for My Infant Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Participants and their parents will participate in a 6 session intervention targeting healthy introduction of complementary foods, and responsive feeding and mealtime behaviors. Intervention sessions will occur when the infant is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 months of age.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Healthy Eating for My Infant

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants and their parents will complete baseline and post-treatment study visits to assess study outcomes. They will receive no intervention.