NCT05745376

Addressing Disparities in Food Access Among Young Children in Louisiana: A Farm to ECE Approach

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 228 (actual)
• Sponsor: Xavier University of Louisiana. · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 99 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this pilot project is to increase access to healthy food, improve diets, and reduce food insecurity and, in turn, reduce health disparities among low-income, minority children under the age of five attending early childcare centers. Specific aims are to: 1) examine the feasibility of a six-month Farm to ECE intervention and 2) collect preliminary data to evaluate the efficacy of the program to 2.1) improve the ECE nutrition environment from baseline to follow-up; 2.2) increase access to local fruits and vegetables among children at ECEs from baseline to follow-up; and 2.3) increase parent knowledge and use of community food resources. The investigators will use this preliminary data to develop a larger scale project to test intervention efficacy.

Detailed description

The pilot study will take place at four centers within a network of Catholic Charities Early Head Start and Head Start Centers in New Orleans, Louisiana. Two centers will serve as intervention sites and two as comparison sites. Over 90% of the network centers' students identify as Black, and all qualify for federally funded free meals and snacks. The intervention will include: (1) assisting ECEs with conducting self-assessments; (2) connecting ECEs with local farmers and food producers; (3) providing technical assistance for menu changes, procuring healthy food, identifying and implementing best feeding practices and policies for the environment; (4) delivering nutrition education; and (5) connecting parents/guardians with local food resources and affordable fresh food to be consumed at home. The intervention will be implemented for 6 months. Aim 1 uses a cross-sectional mixed methods design, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data in intervention centers. Aim 2 uses a pre-post design with a comparison group, collecting quantitative survey data at the center and parent level. At baseline and six-month follow-up, the investigators will conduct short surveys with staff and parents/caregivers of children attending ECEs.

Conditions

• Food Insecurity
• Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
• Nutrition, Healthy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Farm to ECE programming	Students and parents at this center will receive program elements described in arm descriptions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-09-01
• Primary completion: 2024-07-31
• Completion: 2024-07-31
• First posted: 2023-02-27
• Last updated: 2024-08-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States