ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study assessed the initial feasibility and preliminary efficacy of providing children a free summer day camp and a parent intervention to improve self-regulation and mitigate accelerated summer BMI gain. METHODS: This pilot 2x2 factorial randomized control trial used a mixed-methods design to evaluate providing children a free summer day camp (SCV), a parent intervention (PI), and the combination of these two strategies (SCV+PI) to mitigate accelerated summer body mass index (BMI) gain. Progression criteria for feasibility and efficacy were assessed to determine if a full-scale trial was warranted. Feasibility criteria included recruitment capability (≥80 participants recruited) retention (≥70% participants retained), compliance (≥80% of participants attending the summer program with children attending ≥60% of program days, and ≥80% of participants completing goal setting calls with ≥60% of weeks syncing their child's Fitbit), and treatment fidelity (≥80% of summer program days delivered for ≥9 h/day, and ≥80% of participant texts delivered). Efficacy criteria were assessed via achieving a clinically meaningful impact on zBMI (i.e., ≥0.15). Changes in BMI were estimated using intent-to-treat and post hoc dose-response analyses via multilevel mixed-effects regressions. RESULTS: For recruitment, capability and retention progression criteria were met with a total of 89 families participating and 24 participants randomized to the PI group, 21 randomized to the SCV group, 23 randomized to the SCV+PI group, and 21 randomized to the control. However, fidelity and compliance progression criteria were not achieved due to COVID-19 and lack of transportation. Progression criteria for efficacy was also not achieved as intent-to-treat analyses did not show changes in BMI gain that were clinically meaningful. Post hoc dose-response analyses showed that for each day (0 to 29) of summer programming children attended they gained -0.009 (95CI= -0.018, -0.001) less in BMI z score. CONCLUSIONS: Engagement in both the SCV and PI was not ideal due to COVID-19 and lack of transportation. Providing children with structured summer programming to mitigate accelerated summer BMI gain may be an effective strategy. However, because feasibility and efficacy progression criteria were not met, a larger trial is not warranted until further pilot work is completed to ensure children attend the programming. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial reported herein was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. Trial #: NCT04608188.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The current pilot study explored food insecurity, food waste, food related behaviours and cooking confidence of UK consumers following the COVID-19 lockdown. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 473 UK-based consumers (63% female) in March 2020. A cross-sectional online survey measured variables including food insecurity prevalence, self-reported food waste, food management behaviours, confidence and frequency of use of a range of cooking methods, type of food eaten (ultra-processed, semi-finished, unprocessed) and packaging type foods are purchased in. Findings: 39% of participants have experienced some food insecurity in the last 12 months. Being younger, having a greater BMI and living in a smaller household were associated with food insecurity. Green leaves, carrots, potatoes and sliced bread are the most wasted of purchased foods. Polenta, green leaves and white rice are the most wasted cooked foods. Food secure participants reported wasting a smaller percentage of purchased and cooked foods compared to food insecure participants. Overall, participants were most confident about boiling, microwaving and stir-frying and least confident with using a pressure cooker or sous vide. Food secure participants were more confident with boiling, stir-frying, grilling and roasting than insecure food participants. Practical implications This has implications for post lockdown policy, including food policies and guidance for public-facing communications. Originality/value: We identified novel differences in self-report food waste behaviours and cooking confidence between the food secure and insecure consumers and observed demographics associated with food insecurity.
ABSTRACT
Purpose The current pilot study explored food insecurity, food waste, food related behaviours and cooking confidence of UK consumers following the COVID-19 lockdown. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 473 UK-based consumers (63% female) in March 2020. A cross-sectional online survey measured variables including food insecurity prevalence, self-reported food waste, food management behaviours, confidence and frequency of use of a range of cooking methods, type of food eaten (ultra-processed, semi-finished, unprocessed) and packaging type foods are purchased in. Findings 39% of participants have experienced some food insecurity in the last 12 months. Being younger, having a greater BMI and living in a smaller household were associated with food insecurity. Green leaves, carrots, potatoes and sliced bread are the most wasted of purchased foods. Polenta, green leaves and white rice are the most wasted cooked foods. Food secure participants reported wasting a smaller percentage of purchased and cooked foods compared to food insecure participants. Overall, participants were most confident about boiling, microwaving and stir-frying and least confident with using a pressure cooker or sous vide. Food secure participants were more confident with boiling, stir-frying, grilling and roasting than insecure food participants. Practical implications This has implications for post lockdown policy, including food policies and guidance for public-facing communications. Originality/value We identified novel differences in self-report food waste behaviours and cooking confidence between the food secure and insecure consumers and observed demographics associated with food insecurity.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: In spring 2020, elementary schools closed to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Questionnaire data suggest children's sleep was impacted during the pandemic, yet device-based data (i.e. accelerometry) on this topic is lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine children's sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. spring and summer 2020) compared to previous data collected from the same children during each of the two previous years (spring and summer 2018 and 2019). Methods: 68 children (age = 9.9±1.2 years, 56% Black, 53% male) previously recruited for an observational cohort study wore a Fitbit Charge 2 on their wrist during the spring and summer from 2018- 2020 (i.e. six 30-day measurement periods). We used multilevel mixed models to examine how children's sleep patterns changed during the pandemic accounting for previous trajectory (i.e. 2018 to 2019). Models included age, sex, and race as covariates. Results: Children had an average of 84 nights of sleep data across all six 30-day measurement periods. In the spring of the pandemic, children slept 24.6 minutes more (95%CI = 11.6, 37.5) compared to previous springs. During the pandemic summer, they slept 40.0 minutes more (95%CI = 24.6, 58.5) compared to previous summers. Sleep midpoint was 117.1 minutes later (95%CI = 103.6, 130.6) in the spring during the pandemic and 46.0 minutes later (95% CI = 26.9, 65.2) in the summer during the pandemic compared to previous years. Sleep efficiency improved slightly by 1.3% (95% CI = 0.7, 1.9) and 3.6% (95% CI = 2.7, 4.5) in spring and summer, respectively, during the pandemic compared to previous years. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, children slept longer after accounting for previous developmental trends. Notably, the shift in sleep timing during the pandemic was nearly two hours later in the spring compared to previous years, potentially due to the lack of structure usually provided by school. Later sleep timing is independently associated with poor health behaviors (e.g., nutrition, physical activity, screen time). Future studies should examine if these changes in sleep persist over time and have potential long-term effects on children's health.