FOOD Fits: A Pediatric Office Waiting Room Pilot Intervention Targeting Parental Nutrition Literacy and Child Health

Abstract

Objectives: This pilot, cross-sectional study assessed whether nutrition education videos viewed in a pediatric waiting room were effective at improving parent nutrition literacy. A secondary objective was to assess the feasibility of this intervention for future research. Methods: Parents of children aged 1-17 years were recruited from two pediatric clinics and assigned to view one of three nutrition videos. Demographic data and baseline nutrition literacy scores were collected before viewing the video; nutrition literacy was assessed immediately after viewing the video. A qualitative improvement survey was given to assess opinions regarding the nutrition videos. Results: Twenty-one participants were recruited between the three groups. The highest scores possible for Food Groups, Consumer Skills and Nutrition Label tests were 29, 22, and 11 points respectively. Median score for Food Groups increased from 24.0 (IQR 23.0-27.0) to 26.0 (IQR 24.0-27.0) (p=0.051). Median score for Consumer Skills remained relatively constant from 20.0 (IQR 18.0-21.0) to 20.0 (IQR 17.0-21.0) (p=0.867). Median score for Nutrition Label increased from 6.0 (IQR 3.0-8.0) to 7.0 (IQR 4.0-10.0) (p=0.215). There was a non-significant increase from 81.8 (IQR 62.1-90.9) to 86.4 (IQR 72.7-90.9) (p=0.143) in median percentage of questions answered correctly across the three groups. Those with no more than a high school education were more likely (p=0.052) to have an improved nutrition literacy score after watching the video than those participants who had higher levels of education. Sixty-seven percent (n=14) of participants felt watching the video improved their experience at KUMC and 81% (n=17) responded favorably to the idea of the nutrition videos playing in the clinic waiting rooms. Seventy-one percent (n=15) of participants stated they would be likely to change how they chose foods or fed their family after watching this video. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary data that can be used to help create an evidence-based intervention that can easily be incorporated into pediatric clinic visits to target parental nutrition literacy and positively influence child health. An intervention of this nature may help decrease childhood obesity by increasing nutrition skills in parents that are important for making healthful food choices for the home environment.