A healthy snacking intervention in preschool-aged children
Date
2017
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Snacking is a child dietary behavior that has been increasing with snack foods often characterized as energy-dense, nutrient poor foods. While observational data demonstrate a strong relationship between snacking and poor diet quality in children, few interventions have been conducted and even less have taken a family-based approach. Based on the complexity of snacking, the relationship to poor diet quality of children, and need to include the parent, a family-based snacking intervention targeting these areas is warranted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine if a healthy snacking intervention in preschool-aged children has an impact on dietary intake.
Seven children were enrolled in the study and six had complete measures at baseline and five weeks. Child characteristics were not significantly different between SNACKING and CONTROL at baseline. A healthy snacking intervention had no significant effect on diet quality as compared to control. Children consumed 2.1 ± 0.6 snacks per day at baseline. When snacks were centered around two based on AAP recommendations, there was a significant effect of condition by time interaction (p = 0.06) where the SNACKING group decreased snacks and CONTROL increased snacks. There was no significant effect for total energy intake however there was a reduction in total energy intake from baseline to five weeks in the SNACKING group compared to CONTROL. The healthy snacking interaction had a significant main effect for condition for the layered yogurt dip on liking (p = 0.008). There were no significant correlations between parenting styles and diet quality, however, there was significance associated with the feeding practice, concern for child weight, which was significantly associated with diet quality at five weeks (B = 5.5 (β = 0.95), p = 0.03; R2 = 0.963, p = 0.04). Overall effect size for z-BMI for the sample from baseline to five weeks was d = 0.195.
Given the small sample size for this study it is difficult to conclude the impact of a snacking intervention. However, there was a condition by time interaction for number of snacks per day, and although not significant, a decrease in total energy intake in the SNACKING group. This is part of an ongoing study and it is the intention that significant results will be found at study end especially with current preliminary findings.
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Keywords
Health and environmental sciences, Education, Children, Healthy, Intervention, Preschool, Snacking