Homestyles is a research project and nutrition education program enabling parents to change lifestyle behaviors and the home environment to combat rising rates of childhood obesity.

Introduction

HomeStyles was originally developed by Rutgers University in New Jersey to educate parents of preschoolers on healthy habits through 12 instructional guides focusing on positive diets, physical activity, and sleep. A new five year, 4 million dollar USDA grant focuses on continuing to prevent childhood obesity by expanding the program to children 6-11 years of age. In conjunction with Rutgers University and the University of Florida, West Virginia University is working to form parent focused education using a motivational interviewing approach.

If you would like more information on HomeStyles, please leave your information at bit.ly/homestylesinterest.

Aims

HomeStyles aims to create parent education guides in order to help parents make healthier lifestyle behavior changes in their home environment.

Design

HomeStyles works on the principles of creation, implementation, and evaluation. In order to build the desired education materials, focus groups for both parents and kids are conducted to gain insight into current practices, successes, and barriers in the home. After compiling and analyzing this data a team of researchers will complete literature reviews to find expert perspectives and look at previous study results in the main areas of interest. Twelve guides focusing on family meals, healthy nutrition habits, physical activity, and sleep will be designed and disseminated to parents of 6-11 year olds in New Jersey, Florida, and West Virginia.

Outcomes, Impact, & Future Work

In the original HomeStyles study focusing on preschool children and their parents, 12 guides were created in both English and Spanish. These guides consisted of a magazine style cover, expert findings, outcome expectations, emphasis on the concept of role modeling, reflections, and feedback from other parents, and more. Parents received goal trackers and enhancement materials to help implement change. These guides and supplementary materials promoted improvements in both predictors of behaviors and the behaviors themselves. Positive participant feedback showed high satisfaction throughout the HomeStyles process.

In addition to HomeStyles 2, WVU is currently developing a course for graduate students across all participating universities. This class will give students conceptual and practical tools used in designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating obesity prevention techniques based on sound research methods.

Acknowledgements

As previously mentioned, HomeStyles is a collaborative effort between West Virginia University, Rutgers University, and University of Florida. The principle investigators from each school are listed below.

Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, PhD, RDN - Rutgers University

Karla Shelnutt, PhD, RDN - University of Florida

Melissa Olfert, DrPH, RDN - West Virginia University

Publications & Publications

* denotes Research Assistant Trainees in the Olfert Research Lab

Martin-Biggers J, Spaccarotella K, Delaney C, Koenings M, Alleman G, Hongu N, Worobey J, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Development of the Intervention Materials for the HomeStyles Obesity Prevention Program for Parents of Preschoolers. Nutrients 2015, 7, 6628-6669.

Quick V, Martin-Biggers J, Povis GA, Hongu N, Worobey J, Byrd-Bredbenner C. A Socio-Ecological Examination of Weight-Related Characteristics of the Home Environment and Lifestyles of Households with Young Children. Nutrients 2017, 9, 604.

Byrd-Bredbenner C, Martin-Biggers J, Koenings M, Quick V, Hongu N, Worobey J. HomeStyles, A Web-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Program for Families With Preschool Children: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2017;6(4):e73.

Olfert MD, Hagedorn RL*, Leary MP*, Eck K, Shellnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner. "Mom, I can do the tortillas!" Parent and School-age Children's Food Preparation Cognitions and Behaviors. JNEB 2018

Eck K, Delaney C, Olfert MD, Leary MP*, Hagedorn RL*, Santella ME*, Famodu OA, Clark RL*, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Parents’ and Kids’ Eating Away from Home Cognitions. British Food Journal 2018

Eck KM, Delaney CL, Spaccarotella K, Olfert MD, Hagedorn RL*, Dinesen A, Leary MP*, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Go Outside and Play!" Qualitative Investigation of the Cognitions, Barriers, and Supports for Recommended Active Play and Screentime Behaviors of Parents and School-Age Children. Health Education Research2018

Eck K, Delaney C, Leary MP*, Famodu OA, Olfert MD, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner. “My Tummy Tells Me” Cognitions, Barriers and Supports of Parents and School-Age Children for Appropriate Portion Sizes. Nutrients 2018

Golem D, Eck K, Delaney C, Clark RL*, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. “My stuffed animals help me” The Importance, Barriers, and Strategies for Adequate Sleep Behaviors of School-Age Children and Parents. SLEEP 2018

Santiago E, Eck K, Delaney C, Famodu OA, Olfert MD, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C. “It’s good, it’s delicious, it’s great”: Cognitions, Barriers, and Supports for Fruit and Vegetable Intake of Parents and School-Age Children. Topics in Clinical Nutrition 2018

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Clark RL*, Hagedorn RL*, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Shelnutt K, Olfert MD. HomeStyles: An Obesity Prevention Program for Parents of 6-11-year old Children. Adolescent and Young Adult Research Symposium. Pittsburgh, PA. May 2017

Hagedorn RL*, Eck K., Delaney C., Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Olfert MD. Active Play in Families with Elementary School Children: Parent Beliefs and Behaviors. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Clark RL*, Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Olfert MD. Breakfast Cognitions and Practices of Parents of Elementary-School Aged Children. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Eck K, Famodu O, Clark R*, Delaney C, Shelnutt, KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C.Transitioning to Elementary School: Parents’ Cognitions about Children’s Eating Behaviors Away from Home. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Behaviors and Cognitions of Parents of Elementary School Children Related to Family Meals. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Famodu O, Eck K, Delaney C, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Shelnutt KP. Focus Groups Identify Parent’s Attitudes and Beliefs About Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Intake. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Famodu O, Eck K, Delaney C, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Shelnutt KP. Best Portions Control Practices for Young Children: What do Parents Think and Do? Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Strategies for Disseminating the HomeStyles Challenge via Preschools: Qualitative Phone Interviews with Preschool Directors. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Delaney C, Hagedorn RL*, Eck K, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Quality of Life Considerations for Nutrition Education Interventions Targeting Parents of Elementary School-Age Children. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Hagedorn RL*, Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Olfert MD. Parental Cognitions of Their Elementary School-Age Children’s Screentime. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Clark RL*, Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Olfert MD. Exploring Parental Knowledge and Behaviors Associated with Sleep. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Delaney C, Famodu O, Clark R*, Eck K, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Limiting Sugar Sweetened Beverages: Focus Group Discussions with Parents of Elementary School-Aged Children. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Eck K, Dinesen A, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Children’s Perceptions of the Importance of Limiting Sugar Sweetened Beverages and Strategies for Controlling Intake. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Delaney C, Leary MP*, Eck K, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Elementary-School Children’s Breakfast Consumption Cognitions and Behaviors. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Eck K, Santiago E, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. School-Aged Children’s Family Meal Cognitions. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Santiago E, Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. An exploration of elementary school-aged children’s cognitions of fruits and vegetables. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Delaney C, Eck K, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Getting Enough ZZZZs: Focus Groups with Elementary School Kids About Sleep. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Dinesen A, Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD, Byrd-Bredbenner C. Let’s Play! Kids’ Thoughts about Active Playtime. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Leary MP*, Delaney C, Eck K, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Olfert MD. Eating Healthy When Away from Home: Elementary School-age Children’s Behaviors and Perceptions. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Leary MP*, Delaney C, Eck K, Shelnutt KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Olfert MD. Exploring Children’s Understandings of Healthy Portion Sizes. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Hagedorn RL*, Leary MP*, Eck K, Delaney C, Shelnutt, KP, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Olfert MD. Perceptions and Behaviors Related to Screentime in 6 to 11-Year-Old School Children. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.

Leary MP*, Clark RL*, Hagedorn RL*, Eck K, Byrd-Bredbenner C, Shelnutt KP, Olfert MD. Evaluation of a Virtual Childhood Obesity Prevention, Research Based-Course. Current Developments in Nutrition. American Society of Nutrition, Boston, MA, June 2018.