Keys to Healthy Family Childcare Homes
Project Title
Keys to Healthy Family Childcare Homes
Funding Dates
2012-2018
Description
Keys to Healthy Family Childcare Homes is a randomized, controlled research project that targets family childcare home providers in NC and the children in their care. Keys is one of the first studies to develop and evaluate an obesity prevention intervention specifically for family child care homes (FCCH). The purpose of the project is to test the effects of the 9-month intervention on the quality of dietary intake and the level of physical activity (PA) of children in FCCHs. Keys enrolled over 160 FCCH providers and almost 500 children between the ages of 1.5 – 4 years from over 15 NC counties. The intervention arm encourages healthy personal lifestyle habits for the providers, so they can be healthy role models for the children. Additionally, the program promotes home environments that support PA and nutrition, and it also strengthens business practices. The intervention is delivered through workshops, home visits, tailored coaching calls, and educational tool kits. The control arm is an enhanced version of the business practices module (from the intervention arm) and is delivered over a 9-month period.
Research Areas
Cardiovascular Health, Obesity, and Diabetes
Children’s Health
Nutrition and Physical Activity
Principal Investigators
Dianne Ward, EdD (UNC) & Truls Ostbye (Duke)
Funding
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)