Promoting Routines of Exploration and Play during Mealtime: Estimated Effects and Identified Barriers

Abstract

Promoting Routines of Exploration and Play during Mealtime (Mealtime PREP) is an intervention designed to support healthy dietary variety in children. To estimate the effects of this intervention, we recruited 20 parents and children (aged 1-5 years) with sensory food aversions to participate in a pilot study. Parents were coached to enhance daily child meals using Mealtime PREP. Our primary outcome was acceptance of targeted food (number of bites) over time. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes are reported. Moderate effects were observed for acceptance of targeted food. Mealtime PREP warrants additional research to examine effects in larger, more diverse samples.

Keywords:

• Sensory food aversions
• early childhood
• intervention
• food acceptance
• behavioral activation

Data availability statement

The associated data set is available upon request and approval of the corresponding author pending an approved data use agreement.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.

Research ethics

This study was reviewed and approved by the University of Pittsburgh’s Human Research Protection Office through the Institutional Review Board, PRO15060533. Each participant was informed of the studies risks/benefits, that their participation was voluntary, that their identity would be protected and agreed to participate through signed informed consent. We have maintained the confidentiality and security of this data. This trial has been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03138551.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Angela R. Caldwell

Angela Caldwell is an occupational therapist and assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Her primary area of expertise is pediatrics with an emphasis on health promotion during early childhood. Caldwell is particularly interested in the development and implementation of interventions to reduce childhood health disparities.

Elizabeth R. Skidmore

Co-authors Skidmore, Terhorst, Raina, Rogers, Danford, and Bendixen contributed as mentors with expertise in intervention development, research methodology, health promotion, and pediatrics.

Lauren Terhorst

Co-authors Skidmore, Terhorst, Raina, Rogers, Danford, and Bendixen contributed as mentors with expertise in intervention development, research methodology, health promotion, and pediatrics.

Ketki D. Raina

Co-authors Skidmore, Terhorst, Raina, Rogers, Danford, and Bendixen contributed as mentors with expertise in intervention development, research methodology, health promotion, and pediatrics.

Joan C. Rogers

Co-authors Skidmore, Terhorst, Raina, Rogers, Danford, and Bendixen contributed as mentors with expertise in intervention development, research methodology, health promotion, and pediatrics.

Cynthia A. Danford

Co-authors Skidmore, Terhorst, Raina, Rogers, Danford, and Bendixen contributed as mentors with expertise in intervention development, research methodology, health promotion, and pediatrics.

Roxanna M. Bendixen

Co-authors Skidmore, Terhorst, Raina, Rogers, Danford, and Bendixen contributed as mentors with expertise in intervention development, research methodology, health promotion, and pediatrics.