Feasibility of Increasing Childhood Outdoor Play and Decreasing Television Viewing Through a Family-Based Intervention in WIC, New York State, 2007-2008 | Preventing Chronic Disease: May 2011: 10_0119

ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Feasibility of Increasing Childhood Outdoor Play and Decreasing Television Viewing Through a Family-Based Intervention in WIC, New York State, 2007-2008

Kirsten K. Davison, PhD; Lynn S. Edmunds, MS, RD; Brett A. Wyker, MS; Laurie M. Young, MPH; Vanessa S. Sarfoh, MPH; Jackson P. Sekhobo, PhD, MPA

Suggested citation for this article: Davison KK, Edmunds LS, Wyker BA, Young LM, Sarfoh VS, Sekhobo JP. Feasibility of increasing childhood outdoor play and decreasing television viewing through a family-based intervention in WIC, New York State, 2007-2008. Prev Chronic Dis 2011;8(3). http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/may/10_0119.htm. Accessed [date].

PEER REVIEWED

Abstract
Introduction
Active Families is a program developed to increase outdoor play and decrease television viewing among preschool-aged children enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Our objective was to assess its feasibility and efficacy.

Methods
We implemented Active Families in a large WIC clinic in New York State for 1 year. To this end, we incorporated into WIC nutrition counseling sessions a community resource guide with maps showing recreational venues. Outcome measures were children’s television viewing and time playing outdoors and parents’ behaviors (television viewing, physical activity), self-efficacy to influence children’s behaviors, and parenting practices specific to television viewing. We used a nonpaired pretest and posttest design to evaluate the intervention, drawing on comparison data from 3 matched WIC agencies.

Results
Compared with the children at baseline, the children at follow-up were more likely to watch television less than 2 hours per day and play outdoors for at least 60 minutes per day. Additionally, parents reported higher self-efficacy to limit children’s television viewing and were more likely to meet physical activity recommendations and watch television less than 2 hours per day.

Conclusion
Results suggest that it is feasible to foster increased outdoor play and reduced television viewing among WIC-enrolled children by incorporating a community resource guide into WIC nutrition counseling sessions. Future research should test the intervention with a stronger evaluation design in multiple settings, with more diverse WIC populations, and by using more objective outcome measures of child behaviors.

full-text:
Preventing Chronic Disease: May 2011: 10_0119


Author Information
Corresponding Author: Lynn S. Edmunds, MS, RD, Evaluation and Analysis Unit, Bureau of Administration and Evaluation, Division of Nutrition, New York State Department of Health, 150 Broadway, Menands, NY 12204. Telephone: 518-402-7109. E-mail: lse01@health.state.ny.us.

Author Affiliations: Kirsten K. Davison, Laurie M. Young, Vanessa S. Sarfoh, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York; Brett A. Wyker, Jackson P. Sekhobo, Division of Nutrition, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York.