Eat My ABCs Project

NCT05780008 | Completed Phase 2

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00008403
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 202
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Evaluate the effects of the "Eat My ABCs" program on improving Head Start preschoolers' eating behavior and anthropometric properties (BMI, percent body fat).

Conditions

Nutrition, Healthy; Obesity, Childhood

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Child's BMI

  Height will be measured to the nearest 0.1cm using the Shorr board, and weight will be measured to the nearest 0.1kg using the Seca 874 scale or the BF-689 body fat/body water monitor. The online SAS program for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Growth Charts was applied to calculate preschoolers' BMI for age and sex.

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

• Percent body fat

  Percent body fat will be measured to the nearest 0.1% using the BF-689 body fat/body water monitor. Each participant's biological sex, age, and height in cm were entered into the monitor for measuring % body fat. Trained data collectors then instructed participants to step onto the monitor surface and align feet with the four electrodes.

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

• Skin carotenoids

  An instrument called the Veggie Meter® will be utilized to assess skin carotenoids as an indicator for fruit/vegetable intake. To assess skin carotenoids in this study, each participant's non-dominant index finger will be used, and the average of three scans will be recorded as the final score.

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Parent fruit/vegetable/fiber intake

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

• Household food insecurity

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

• Parental feeding skills

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

• Parental food resource management behavior

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

• Home eating environment

  Change from week 0 (Time 1) to week 15 (Time 2)

Study Arms (1)

Eat My ABCs

EXPERIMENTAL

The experimental arm will receive the 14-week program including three main components: (1) "Eat My ABCs" child curriculum, (2) child fruit/vegetable letters to parents, and (3) program cookbook.

Behavioral: Eat My ABCs

Interventions

Eat My ABCs BEHAVIORAL

The "Eat My ABCs" curriculum incorporates senses into learning (hear, see, smell, taste) and includes two sessions/week: 1) healthy eating learning; and 2) mindful food taste-testing activities to expose children to the one fruit, one vegetable, and relevant food items made from the one fruit and one vegetable to teach children the creative ways to make fruit/vegetable healthy and tasty. Child Letter to Parents. Every week, each child will create one letter, using stickers, regarding the one fruit and one vegetable presented in the program that he/she tasted or wanted to try at home. Program Cookbook. The investigators have developed a targeted program cookbook for low-income families. The program cookbook contains all budget-friendly recipes for healthy breakfasts, family meals, quick-fixes, kid-friendly snacks, and occasional sweets. In addition, the cookbook contains creative ways of making fruit/vegetable healthy, tasty, and kid-friendly at home.

Eat My ABCs

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 3 Years - 5 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Any preschoolers aged 3-5 years old from the participating daycare classrooms.
• Having parental consent.

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Michigan State University: lead
• Michigan Health Endowment Fund: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency

Alpena, Michigan, 49707, United States

Location

Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency

Kalkaska, Michigan, 49646, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Ling J, Kao TA, Yang X. Impact of food accessibility on eating and anthropometric outcomes among rural parent-child dyads: a secondary data analysis of a mindful eating intervention. BMJ Open. 2025 Dec 31;15(12):e108076. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108076.

  PMID: 41475815 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pediatric Obesity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Obesity; Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: This will be a one-group quasi-experimental design.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2023
• First Posted: March 22, 2023
• Study Start: January 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: May 7, 2024
• Study Completion: May 10, 2024
• Last Updated: June 7, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-06

Locations

US (2)