Objectives: Motivational interviewing, a client-centered intervention method focused on enhancing intrinsic motivation for behavior change, shows a positive impact on children's weight status (ie, stabilizing or slowing down weight gain as a child grows). We evaluated the impact of a training program on knowledge and adoption of evidence-based obesity prevention counseling strategies among counselors from Georgia's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).Methods: Between July 2014 and September 2015, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Strong4Life program provided 388 WIC counselors in Georgia with a 2-hour training session on motivational interviewing, patient-centered counseling, and goal setting for obesity prevention. We evaluated the training using (1) self-administered pre-and post-training surveys that assessed knowledge of counseling strategies, (2) post-training observation of counseling interactions, and (3) a review of behavior change goal quality pre-and post-training in a random sample of 200 WIC client charts.Results: In a comparison of pre-training knowledge with immediate post-training knowledge among 388 counselors, 81% vs 91% (P < .001) knew that, to be effective, goals must be important to clients, and 66% vs 94% (P < .001) knew the 5 A's (assess, advise, agree, assist, arrange) of counseling. Knowledge improvements were sustained at 3 months post-training. We observed no improvements in the quality of chart-documented behavior goals.Conclusions: WIC nutrition counselors in Georgia were aware of evidence-based counseling strategies but did not consistently apply them. The training program was helpful, but time and additional support are needed to adopt new practices.
BackgroundChild obesity has risen dramatically with minority children at greatest risk. Parents play an important role in determining what a young child eats and how physically active they are yet little is known about the extent to which parents are knowledgeable about current guidelines and recommendations. This purpose of this study was to assess the diet‐ and activity‐promoting knowledge and practices among a sample of African American parents of young children.MethodsIn summer 2014, 84 African American parents/primary caregivers (parents) of healthy children age 6 months to < 6 years were recruited from a primary care clinic waiting room and completed a 25‐item questionnaire that assessed their knowledge of evidence‐based diet and activity recommendations and their practices as they relate to their young child.ResultsThe majority of respondents (76%) were women, 87.4% low income, and 51% had received prior nutrition training (98% through WIC). One‐third knew that half of children's meals should be fruits and vegetables and 42.0% knew that at lest 50% of their child's grain‐containing foods should be whole grain. Nearly half (47%) knew that consumption of fruit juice should be limited and 62.5% knew that school‐age children should get at least 1 hour per day physical activity. 56% agreed that children often need to try a new food multiple times. 41% agreed that it was OK to make their child something else if they rejected the meal that had been served.ConclusionsThese results suggest that many African American parents of young children may lack knowledge of current child nutrition and feeding practice recommendations.
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