NCT04977947

Healthy Eating for My Infant (HEMI)

Reducing Health Disparities Through an Adaptive Healthy Eating Program for Underserved Infants in a Home Visiting Program

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Cincinnati · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 2 Months – 9 Months
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Infants from underserved and minority backgrounds are at increased risk for obesity and poor feeding and nutrition outcomes, but obesity prevention programs tailored specifically to the needs of these infants are lacking. The current study takes a community-engaged approach to development and delivery of an adaptively tailored obesity prevention program delivered via home visiting to target infant eating and feeding (Healthy Eating for My Infant; HEMI).

Detailed description

Poor dietary habits and obesity-risk begin early in infancy. Infants from underserved and minority backgrounds experience disparate rates of poor nutritional outcomes and subsequent health disparities related to obesity. Each infant and their family experiences a unique set of risk factors and barriers to healthy eating. However, obesity prevention programs that are culturally and contextually relevant for underserved families and adapted based on the needs of individual families are lacking. The current study will develop an obesity prevention program, Healthy Eating for My Infant (HEMI), using a community-engaged approach involving community members in development and delivery of the program. HEMI targets healthy infant feeding through six monthly sessions with infants 3-8 months old. The program will be delivered as a supplement to an already existing evidence-based home visiting program, Every Child Succeeds (ECS), serving families with primarily low income and ethnic/racial minority backgrounds. Development of an adaptive and effective obesity prevention program meeting the needs of underserved infants is critical for addressing health disparities in infant eating and obesity.

Conditions

• Pediatric Obesity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Healthy Eating for My Infant	The intervention targets problem solving to overcome barriers, behavioral rehearsal and practice of healthy behaviors, promoting readiness to change, goal setting, self-monitoring, and behavioral tracking. Two standard treatment modules will be provided to each family by a study interventionist focusing on infant nutritional requirements, responsive feeding, and mealtime behaviors. Two additional treatment modules will be selected to address the unique needs articulated by each family (e.g., food insecurity, eating healthy on a limited income, emotional eating, engaging other caregivers, maternal mental health). Modules will consider the influence of maternal trauma history and mental health on feeding and eating behavior. The intervention also includes two peer counselor-led sessions during which families can discuss implementation of recommendations and barriers to change with a member of their community who can problem solve and support change.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-06-06
• Primary completion: 2023-11-01
• Completion: 2023-11-01
• First posted: 2021-07-27
• Last updated: 2025-03-19
• Results posted: 2025-03-19

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States