A Positive Food Parenting Intervention to Promote Healthy Growth in Children at Risk for Obesity

Launched by STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · May 13, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a program designed to help parents promote healthy eating habits for their children who are at risk for obesity. The program lasts for 12 weeks and focuses on teaching parents positive ways to support their child's growth and improve their diet. Researchers want to see if this program can help parents change their feeding practices and improve the quality of food their child eats.

To participate, parents need to be over 18 years old and have a child between 5 and 11 who is at risk for obesity, meaning their child is heavier than 85% of other children their age. Parents should also be involved in feeding their child at least half the time and be comfortable using the internet for virtual sessions. The trial is not currently recruiting participants, but it aims to provide valuable tools for families to encourage better nutrition and healthy growth in children.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• PARENT CRITERIA:
• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age \> 18 years old.
• • Have a child between the ages of 5 - 11 who is at risk for obesity (child BMI percentile \> 85th) or parent it concerned about their child developing overweight or obesity
• • Low use of positive food parenting (Defined as: low reports of individual nutrition education/ knowledge OR reports low levels of structure, involvement, or encouragement in their food parenting practices)
• • Must be responsible for feeding their eligible child at least 50% of the time.
• • Fluent in English.
• • Have access to internet and a Zoom compatible device.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Age is \< 18 years old. Their child is determined ineligible (based on BMI percentile and age).
• • Does not report low use of positive food parenting (as defined above).
• • Is responsible for feeding their eligible child \< 50% of the time.
• • Not fluent in English.
• • Does not have access to internet and a Zoom compatible device.
• • On medication that could influence their eating or feeding behaviors.
• CHILD CRITERIA:
• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Their parent/ guardian is eligible and participating in the study.
• • Ages 5 - 11
• • Is not current diagnosed with a clinical eating disorder (ED).
• • Is not on any medications, or have any conditions, that could influence the child's taste, appetite, or olfactory sensory responsiveness.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Their parent/ guardian is not eligible nor participating in the study.
• • Below the age of 5 and above the age of 11.
• • BMI percentile \< 85th and/or \> 97th.
• • Current diagnosis of a clinical eating disorder (ED)
• • Medications or conditions that could influence the child's taste, appetite, or olfactory sensory responsiveness.