Project Grant 20236801540967

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LOW-INCOME CHILDREN ARE AT HIGH RISK OF HAVING OBESITY AND POOR DIET QUALITY, WHICH CAN IMPACT THEIR LONG-TERM HEALTH. EATING HABITS ARE ESTABLISHED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, AND PARENTS, AS GATEKEEPERS OF THE HOME FOOD ENVIRONMENT, ARE AN IMPORTANT TARGET FOR INTERVENTION. HOME COOKING HAS BEEN LINKED TO HEALTHIER EATING, BUT RATES OF HOME COOKING HAVE BEEN FALLING SINCE THE 1960S. COOKING EDUCATION PROGRAMS MAY HELP FAMILIES COMPLY WITH THE DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS BY ENCOURAGING MORE HOME COOKING AND TEACHING PARENTS STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENT OF FOODS THEY PREPARE.THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND TEST A DIGITAL INTERVENTION FOCUSED ON HEALTHY COOKING, PARENT FEEDING PRACTICES, AND CHILD INVOLVEMENT IN HOME FOOD PREPARATION FOR FAMILIES WITH LOW INCOME.WE WILL CREATE A SERIES OF COOKING VIDEOS AND LESSONS TO TEACH PARENTS HEALTHY COOKING SKILLS, AS WELL AS WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY INVOLVE THEIR YOUNG (AGE 4-5) CHILDREN IN HOME COOKING. WE WILL THEN CONDUCT A THREE-ARM RANDOMIZED TRIAL TO TEST HOW WELL THE INTERVENTION WORKS. TO DO THIS, WE WILL RECRUIT THREE GROUPS OF PARTICIPANTS FROM LOCAL HEAD START PROGRAMS. PARTICIPANTS WILL INCLUDE CHILDREN (AGED 4-5) AND CAREGIVERS FROM FAMILIES THAT UTILIZES HEAD START. THE FAMILY PARTICIPANTS WILL EITHER BE IN A CONTROL GROUP (THAT DOES NOT RECEIVE ANY INTERVENTION), A GROUP THAT GETS HEALTHY FOOD DELIVERED DURING THE STUDY, OR A GROUP THAT RECEIVES BOTH THE FOOD DELIVERY AND THE DIGITAL COOKING INTERVENTION. WE WILL GATHER INFORMATION FROM PARENTS AND CHILDREN BEFORE AND AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE STUDY TO EXAMINE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GROUPS. WE BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN AND PARENTS IN THE COOKING INTERVENTION PLUS FOOD DELIVERY GROUP WILL HAVE HEALTHIER DIETS THAN THOSE IN THE OTHER GROUPS AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERVENTION. WE WILL TAKE WHAT WE LEARN FROM THIS STUDY TO IMPLEMENT DIGITAL COOKING PROGRAMS THROUGH OUR NETWORKS AND NATIONAL EXTENSION PROGRAMS. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO INCREASE HEALTHY COOKING BEHAVIORS, POSITIVE PARENT FEEDING PRACTICES, AND CHILD INVOLVEMENT IN HOME COOKING THROUGH SCALABLE, DIGITAL EDUCATION TOOLS. THESE EFFORTS WILL ULTIMATELY IMPROVE FAMILY DIET QUALITY, CHILD COOKING SKILLS, AND MITIGATING DOWNSTREAM DISEASE AND OBESITY RISK.