Watch Me Grow: A garden-based pilot intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intake in preschoolers

ISRCTN ISRCTN34755197
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN34755197
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
27/11/2012
Registration date
13/12/2012
Last edited
13/12/2012
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

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

Contact information

Dr Sara Benjamin Neelon
Scientific

Duke University Medical Center
Box 104006
Durham
27710
United States of America

Study information

Study designRandomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleWatch Me Grow: A garden-based pilot intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intake in preschoolers – a randomized controlled trial
Study acronymWMG
Study hypothesisChildren 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
ConditionChild Nutrition
InterventionCenters 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 typeOther
Primary outcome measureServings of vegetables consumed by children in child care measured pre intervention and one month post intervention
Secondary outcome measuresServings of vegetables served to children in child care measured pre intervention and one month post intervention
Overall study start date03/01/2011
Overall study end date11/01/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants20 Center Directors
Participant inclusion criteriaCenter directors in North Carolina who care for at least 3 children between the ages of 3 and 5
Participant exclusion criteriaCenter directors outside of North Carolina, or those who do not care for children between the ages of 3 and 5
Recruitment start date03/01/2011
Recruitment end date11/01/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • United States of America

Study participating centre

Duke University Medical Center
Durham
27710
United States of America

Sponsor information

Duke University Medical Center (USA)
Hospital/treatment centre

c/o Sara Benjamin Neelon
Department of Community and Family Medicine
DUMC Box 104006
Durham
27710
United States of America

Website http://www.dukemedicine.org/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/03njmea73

Funders

Funder type

Hospital/treatment centre

Duke University Medical Center (USA)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan