Helland 2016.
| Study name | Study protocol for a multi‐component kindergarten‐based intervention to promote healthy diets in toddlers: a cluster randomized trial |
| Methods | Study design: cluster‐RCT |
| Participants |
Service type: centre‐based Country (region): Norway (Vest‐Agder and Aust‐Agder) Number of services participating: 18 (including 2 dropouts) |
| Interventions |
Number of conditions: 1 intervention, 1 control Intervention strategies: Health curriculum Children Curriculum: children will be delivered Sapere‐sensory education in the kindergartens’ pedagogical group sessions. Ethos and environment Children Menu modification: children will be offered a cooked, healthy lunch prepared at the kindergarten on the intervention days over the 9‐week period. ECEC staff Workshop: kindergarten staff will attend a class at the university to learn about the Sapere method and intervention elements. The pedagogical leaders will also attend a class to learn about food neophobia, development of healthy eating habits early in life, and how kindergartens can play a role in healthy eating in children. Materials: all staff will be given a handbook entitled “Overall plan for the intervention” to guide them in implementing the programme. Kindergartens will also be assigned equipment to make cooking easy and feasible. They will also receive 3 different handbooks developed for the project “Home cooked food guide,” and 3 food kit boxes (including spices, herbs, vinegar, mustard, and so forth); 1 for each time period. Financial compensation for food costs will be provided after the intervention period. The kindergartens will receive pre‐printed postcards and posters. Environment: kindergarten staff will integrate 10 meal principles about feeding practices. Families Materials: parents will be given short postcard messages corresponding to the 10 meal principles. |
| Outcomes |
Outcomes relating to child dietary intake: Fruits intake, berries intake, vegetable intake, potato intake, rice intake, pasta intake, bread intake, cereals intake, porridge intake, unprocessed meat and fish intake, processed foods intake, snacks intake, beverage intake Outcomes relating to child anthropometric measures: Height, weight, BMI |
| Starting date | 2014 |
| Contact information | Associate Professor Sissel Helland, sissel.h.hellandg@gmail.com |
| Notes | ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN74823448 |