The extended Infant Feeding, Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT Extend) Program: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of an early intervention to prevent childhood obesity.

Karen J Campbell,David A Crawford,John Lynch,Kylie Ball,Kylie D Hesketh,Zoë Mccallum,Sarah A Mcnaughton

doi:10.1186/s12889-016-2836-0

Abstract

BackgroundUnderstanding how we can prevent childhood obesity in scalable and sustainable ways is imperative. Early RCT interventions focused on the first two years of life have shown promise however, differences in Body Mass Index between intervention and control groups diminish once the interventions cease. Innovative and cost-effective strategies seeking to continue to support parents to engender appropriate energy balance behaviours in young children need to be explored.Methods/DesignThe Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) Extend Program builds on the early outcomes of the Melbourne InFANT Program. This cluster randomized controlled trial will test the efficacy of an extended (33 versus 15 month) and enhanced (use of web-based materials, and Facebook® engagement), version of the original Melbourne InFANT Program intervention in a new cohort. Outcomes at 36 months of age will be compared against the control group.DiscussionThis trial will provide important information regarding capacity and opportunities to maximize early childhood intervention effectiveness over the first three years of life. This study continues to build the evidence base regarding the design of cost-effective, scalable interventions to promote protective energy balance behaviors in early childhood, and in turn, promote improved child weight and health across the life course.Trial registrationACTRN12611000386932. Registered 13 April 2011.

Highlights

Understanding how we can prevent childhood obesity in scalable and sustainable ways is imperative
This study continues to build the evidence base regarding the design of cost-effective, scalable interventions to promote protective energy balance behaviors in early childhood, and in turn, promote improved child weight and health across the life course
* Correspondence: karen.campbell@deakin.edu.au 1Deakin University, Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Victoria, Australia Full list of author information is available at the end of the article high priorities for public health and it is imperative that we address prevention comprehensively, including through the design of programs that can be scaled up [5]

Summary

Discussion

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in early childhood remains high and is determined in part, by eating, Abbreviations BMI: Body mass index; EPOCH: Early Prevention of Obesity in CHildren; FFQ: Food frequency questionnaire; InFANT: Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial; MCH: Maternal and Child Health; MCHn: Maternal and Child Health nurse; RCT: Randomized Controlled Trial; WHO: World Health Organisation. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. KDH contributed to the overall concept and design of the InFANT Extend Program and assisted with the writing of the grant and this manuscript. DAC, SAM, ZM, KB and JL provided expert input and support overall for the writing of the grant and this manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript

Background

Design and Methods

Findings