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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04372823

Promoting Nutrition and Physical Activity in Family Child Care

The CHEER study takes advantage of a natural experiment happening in South Carolina (SC). The South Carolina Department of Social Services implemented new healthy eating and physical activity standards through a state-wide policy for family child care homes that participate in the ABC Grow Healthy program. Thus, CHEER is a quasi-experimental, two-group, pre-test/post-test design study.

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Key information

Conditions

Diet, Healthy Behavior Body Weight Motor Activity Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Obesity Obesity, Childhood Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pediatric Obesity Physical Activity Signs and Symptoms

Age range

2 year–4 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

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About this study

The overall goal of the study is to evaluate new healthy eating and physical activity standards targeting family child care homes in South Carolina. To accomplish this goal, we are assessing the effects of the standards on the dietary intake and physical activity levels of racially diverse low-income children in family child care homes. The specific aims of the "CHEER" study are as follows:

Aim 1. Evaluate the extent to which the new regulatory standards impact children's dietary intake assessed via direct observation in homes and 24-hour recalls with parents, and physical activity and sedentary behavior assessed via accelerometry.

Aim 2. Evaluate the extent to which the new regulatory standards impact children's body mass index computed from researcher-measured height and weight.

Secondary Aim. Evaluate the extent to which family child care homes in the SC ABC Child Care Program comply with the new healthy eating and physical activity regulatory standards, compared to family child care homes not participating in the program.

We hypothesize that most homes will comply with the new standards, yielding improvements in children's healthy eating and physical activity levels. As an exploratory aim, we will examine the effects of the standards on children's weight status.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Having a child in care between the ages 2 and 4 years at recruitment
  • The family is planning to stay in the same care arrangement for the next few years

Exclusion criteria

  • Family planning to leave the care arrangement in next few years

Treatment and study plan

Policy/program

Behavioral

Policy/program to improve nutrition and increase physical activity

Primary outcomes

  1. Diet

    Time frame: Approx 1 year

    Healthy Eating Index score - The Healthy Eating Index is a calorie-adjusted comparison of individual or group-level dietary intake to current dietary guidelines. The Healthy Eating Index was last updated in 2015 and represents the sum of thirteen component scores. Higher scores are awarded for healthier intake within each component. Each component of the Healthy Eating Index has a standard for receiving the minimum or maximum points possible. The HEI components and maximum scores include: total fruit (5), whole fruit (5), total vegetables (5), greens and beans (5), whole grains (10), dairy (10), total proteins (5), seafood/plant (lean) proteins (5), fatty acids (10), refined grains (10), sodium (10), added sugars (10), and saturated fats (10).

  2. Physical activity

    Time frame: Approx every year for 2 years

    Accelerometer measured minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity

Secondary outcomes

  1. Body mass index

    Time frame: Approx every year for 2 years

    Child body mass index z-score

  2. Family child care home environment

    Time frame: Approx every year for 2 years

    Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of South Carolina

Other

Collaborators

  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
  • Johns Hopkins University

Registry information

Acronym: FCCH

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
May 4, 2020
Registry last updated
Mar 28, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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