The purpose of the Eat Healthy study (EH), A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Healthy Eater, was to improve parent feeding strategies, as well as the preschooler’s diet quality and weight status. Paraprofessional educators delivered 1-6 lessons to 152 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) eligible parents in four Michigan counties using a combination of home visits and phone calls. They collected demographic, anthropometric, Parent Feeding Behavior Questionnaire (PFBQ) and Block Kids Food Screener (BKFS) data at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up. Data were analyzed to compare control and intervention groups for parental feeding strategies, children’s weight and diet quality at baseline and follow-up to examine associations. At the 3-month follow up, the EH study succeeded in improving three of eight parent feeding strategies: high control, high contingency and, mealtime behaviors using a valid and reliable instrument. The parents became less controlling, used less contingency and rewarding, and improved mealtime strategies such as no TV at meals and eating family meals. The EH was also successful in improving the diet quality of the preschoolers by increasing nutrient dense foods and decreasing energy dense foods. However the EH did not improve the weight status of the preschooler.
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