Plain English Summary
Background and study aims:
Current fruit and vegetable consumption in children is low. There are few studies which promote fruit and vegetable intake, which have targeted children in child care, despite the fact that younger children are more likely influenced by adults in an eating environment. The objective of this pilot study is to assess whether Watch Me Grow (WMG) can become a sustainable, inexpensive way to increase vegetable consumption in pre-schoolers while attending child care.
Who can participate?
Child care centers in North Carolina, which care for children between the ages of 3 5 years.
What does the study involve?
Child care centers were allocated to receiving the The Watch Me Grow (WMG) programme first, or receiving it at a later date. WMG is designed to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption among children in child care. Centers given the programme at a later date, received a garden and the curriculum materials, but not the regular technical assistance visits.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Centers will benefit from receipt of an on-site garden. Children enrolled at the center may benefit from increased consumption of fresh vegetables. To reduce the chance of harm, only non poisonous crops will be grown at the child care centers. There are no known risks of participating in the study.
Where is the study run from?
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study began in March 2011 and is expected to run until November 2013.
Who is funding the study?
Duke University Medical Center, USA
Who is the main contact?
Rebecca Brouwer
Rebecca.brouwer@duke.edu
Study website
Additional identifiers
EudraCT/CTIS number
IRAS number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
N/A
Study information
Scientific title
Watch Me Grow: A garden-based pilot intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intake in preschoolers a randomized controlled trial
Acronym
WMG
Study hypothesis
Children in intervention child care centers, compared with children in control centers, will increase their consumption of fruit and vegetables more from pre- to post-intervention.
Ethics approval(s)
Duke University Medical Center, 17 August 2010, ref: Pro00025325
Study design
Randomized controlled trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)
Hospital
Study type
Quality of life
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Condition
Child Nutrition
Intervention
Centers allocated 1:1 to WMG intervention or delayed WMG intervention.
We compare the Watch Me Grow (WMG) garden-based intervention to a delayed intervention. WMG is a crop-a-month curriculum and garden intervention designed to encourage fruit and vegetable consumption among children in child care.
The intervention includes
1. Nutritional counseling to providers on low-cost ways to increase fruits and vegetables on the child care menu
2. Delivery of a multi-disciplinary pilot curriculum promoting fresh produce to providers and children and
3. Assistance establishing child care center gardens to get providers and children excited about growing their own fresh crops
Centers in the delayed intervention will receive a garden and the curriculum materials, but will not receive regular technical assistance visits.
Intervention type
Other
Primary outcome measure
Servings of vegetables consumed by children in child care measured pre intervention and one month post intervention
Secondary outcome measures
Servings of vegetables served to children in child care measured pre intervention and one month post intervention
Overall study start date
03/01/2011
Overall study end date
11/01/2013
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
Center directors in North Carolina who care for at least 3 children between the ages of 3 and 5
Participant type(s)
Patient
Age group
Adult
Sex
Both
Target number of participants
20 Center Directors
Participant exclusion criteria
Center directors outside of North Carolina, or those who do not care for children between the ages of 3 and 5
Recruitment start date
03/01/2011
Recruitment end date
11/01/2013
Locations
Countries of recruitment
United States of America
Study participating centre
Duke University Medical Center
Durham
27710
United States of America
Sponsor information
Organisation
Duke University Medical Center (USA)
Sponsor details
c/o Sara Benjamin Neelon
Department of Community and Family Medicine
DUMC Box 104006
Durham
27710
United States of America
Sponsor type
Hospital/treatment centre
Website
ROR
Funders
Funder type
Hospital/treatment centre
Funder name
Duke University Medical Center (USA)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) sharing plan
IPD sharing plan summary
Not provided at time of registration
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|