Keys

Keys to Healthy Family Childcare Homes was a randomized, controlled research project that targets family childcare home providers in North Carolina and the children in their care.  Keys is one of the first studies to develop and evaluate an obesity prevention intervention specifically for family child care homes (FCCH).

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to test the effects of the 9-month intervention on the quality of dietary intake and the level of physical activity of children in FCCHs.

PROGRAMS: The intervention arm encourages healthy personal lifestyle habits for the providers, so they can be healthy role models for the children. Additionally, the program promoted home environments that support physical activity and nutrition, and it also strengthened business practices. The intervention was delivered through workshops, home visits, tailored coaching calls, and educational tool kits. The control arm is an enhanced version of the business practices module (from the intervention arm), and was delivered over a nine month period.

REACH: Keys enrolled over 160 FCCH providers and almost 500 children between the ages of 1.5–4 years from over 15 North Carolina counties. Data collection as well as intervention implementation was completed in April 2016. Primary outcomes were change in observed child diet quality and moderate to vigorous physical activity while at the FCCH. Secondary measures included child body mass index, FCCH provider health behaviors, and FCCH nutrition and physical activity environments and business practices.

GRANTOR and CLINICAL TRAILS REGISTRATION INFORMATION

National Institutes of Health – RO1HL108390

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01814215

TEAM

Regan Burney, PhD – Project Manager

To learn more about Keys, please email us at chwr@unc.edu.