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 child care 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. This is a project of the Children’s Healthy Weight Research Group (CHWRG).

Research Areas

Cardiovascular Health, Obesity, & Diabetes
Children’s Health
Healthy Food Access
Nutrition & Physical Activity

Principal Investigator

Diane Ward, EdD

Funding

National Institutes of Health
Children’s Healthy Weight Research Group (CHWRG)