Healthy Beginnings

Model effectiveness research report last updated: 2024

Effects shown in research

Child health

Findings rated high

Wen, L. M., Baur, L. A., Simpson, J. M., Xu, H., Hayes, A. J., Hardy, L. L., Williams, M., & Rissel, C. (2015). Sustainability of effects of an early childhood obesity prevention trial over time: A further 3-year follow-up of the Healthy Beginnings trial. JAMA Pediatrics, 169(6), 543–551. https:// doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0258

Healthy Beginnings

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Outcome measure	Effect	Follow-up timing	Sample	Sample size	Intervention group	Comparison group	Group difference	Effect size	Statistical significance	Notes
Child BMI	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	2 years old	HBT Phase 2 vs. comparison RCT, Sydney, Australia, 2011-2014, full sample	465 children	Unadjusted mean = 16.57	Unadjusted mean = 16.98	Mean difference = -0.41	HomVEE calculated = -0.25	Statistically significant, p = 0.01	Submitted by nwu on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 18:31 Statistical significance is based on HomVEE calculations.
Child BMI	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	3.5 years old	HBT Phase 2 vs. comparison RCT, Sydney, Australia, 2011-2014, full sample	415 children	Unadjusted mean = 16.74	Unadjusted mean = 16.80	Mean difference = -0.06	HomVEE calculated = -0.03	Not statistically significant, p = 0.73	Submitted by nwu on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 18:31 Statistical significance is based on HomVEE calculations.
Child BMI (standardized units)	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	2 years old	HBT Phase 2 vs. comparison RCT, Sydney, Australia, 2011-2014, full sample	465 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.55	Unadjusted mean = 0.84	Mean difference = -0.29	HomVEE calculated = -0.26	Statistically significant, p = 0.01	Submitted by nwu on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 18:31 Statistical significance is based on HomVEE calculations.
Child BMI (standardized units)	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	3.5 years old	HBT Phase 2 vs. comparison RCT, Sydney, Australia, 2011-2014, full sample	415 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.89	Unadjusted mean = 0.97	Mean difference = -0.08	HomVEE calculated = -0.07	Not statistically significant, p = 0.49	Submitted by nwu on Fri, 04/12/2019 - 18:31 Statistical significance is based on HomVEE calculations.
Child dietary behaviors: At least 2 servings per day of fruit	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	3.5 years old	HBT Phase 2 vs. comparison RCT, Sydney, Australia, 2011-2014, full sample	415 children	Unadjusted proportion = 0.70	Unadjusted proportion = 0.69	Mean difference = 0.01	HomVEE calculated = 0.03	Not statistically significant, p= 0.82
Child dietary behaviors: At least 2 servings per day of vegetables	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	3.5 years old	HBT Phase 2 vs. comparison RCT, Sydney, Australia, 2011-2014, full sample	415 children	Unadjusted proportion = 0.45	Unadjusted proportion = 0.45	Mean difference = 0.00	HomVEE calculated = 0.00	Not statistically significant, p= 0.95

Findings rated moderate

Wen, L. M., Baur, L. A., Simpson, J. M., Rissel, C., & Flood, V. M. (2011). Effectiveness of an early intervention on infant feeding practices and "tummy time": A randomized controlled trial. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 165(8), 701-707.

Healthy Beginnings

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Outcome measure	Effect	Follow-up timing	Sample	Sample size	Intervention group	Comparison group	Group difference	Effect size	Statistical significance	Notes
Bottle at bedtime	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	12 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	527 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.35	Unadjusted mean = 0.44	Mean difference = -0.09	HomVEE calculated = -0.23	Statistically significant, p = 0.04	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Breastfeeding (yes/no)-Chi-square 12 months	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	12 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	527 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.21	Unadjusted mean = 0.15	Mean difference = 0.06	HomVEE calculated = 0.25	Statistically significant, p < 0.05
Breastfeeding (yes/no)-Chi-square 6 months	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	6 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	561 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.42	Unadjusted mean = 0.32	Mean difference = 0.10	HomVEE calculated = 0.26	Not statistically significant, p = <0.05
Breastfeeding duration (weeks)-12 months	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	12 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	527 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.17	Unadjusted mean = 0.13	Mean difference = 0.04	Not available	Statistically significant, p = 0.03
Breastfeeding exclusive (yes/no)-6 months	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	6 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	561 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.04	Unadjusted mean = 0.02	Mean difference = 0.02	HomVEE calculated = 0.45	Not statistically significant, p = 0.14
Food used as reward	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	12 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	527 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.18	Unadjusted mean = 0.25	Mean difference = -0.07	HomVEE calculated = -0.27	Statistically significant, p = 0.04	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Introduction of solids (4 months or younger)	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	6 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	561 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.18	Unadjusted mean = 0.26	Mean difference = -0.08	HomVEE calculated = -0.30	Statistically significant, p = 0.00	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Introduction of solids (5 months)	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	6 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	561 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.44	Unadjusted mean = 0.48	Mean difference = -0.04	HomVEE calculated = -0.10	Statistically significant, p = 0.00	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Introduction of solids (6 months)	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	6 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	561 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.39	Unadjusted mean = 0.26	Mean difference = 0.13	HomVEE calculated = 0.35	Statistically significant, p = 0.00
Introduction of solids (before 6 months)	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	6 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	561 mothers	Unadjusted mean = 0.62	Unadjusted mean = 0.74	Mean difference = -0.12	HomVEE calculated = -0.34	Statistically significant, p = 0.00	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.

Wen, L. M., Baur, L. A., Simpson, J. M., Rissel, C., Wardle, K., & Flood, V. M. (2012). Effectiveness of home based early intervention on children's BMI at age 2: Randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 344, e3732. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e3732

Healthy Beginnings

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Outcome measure	Effect	Follow-up timing	Sample	Sample size	Intervention group	Comparison group	Group difference	Effect size	Statistical significance	Notes
BMI-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	483 children	Unadjusted mean = 16.49	Unadjusted mean = 16.87	Mean difference = -0.38	HomVEE calculated = -0.22	Statistically significant, p = 0.01	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Child drink soft drink-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	495 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.24	Unadjusted mean = 0.26	Mean difference = -0.03	HomVEE calculated = -0.09	Not statistically significant, p = 0.48
Child eat dinner in front of TV-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	494 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.56	Unadjusted mean = 0.68	Mean difference = -0.12	HomVEE calculated = -0.31	Statistically significant, p = 0.01	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Child eat french fries-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	496 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.86	Unadjusted mean = 0.88	Mean difference = -0.02	HomVEE calculated = -0.09	Not statistically significant, p = 0.65
Child eat salty snack-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	496 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.65	Unadjusted mean = 0.70	Mean difference = -0.04	HomVEE calculated = -0.12	Not statistically significant, p = 0.29
Child eat sweet snack everyday-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	497 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.73	Unadjusted mean = 0.77	Mean difference = -0.04	HomVEE calculated = -0.13	Not statistically significant, p = 0.31
Child fruit >= 1 serving/day-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	497 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.90	Unadjusted mean = 0.93	Mean difference = -0.02	HomVEE calculated = -0.18	Not statistically significant, p = 0.43
Child vegetable >= 1 serving/day-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	497 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.89	Unadjusted mean = 0.83	Mean difference = 0.07	HomVEE calculated = 0.35	Statistically significant, p = 0.03
Child water >3 cups/day-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	496 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.24	Unadjusted mean = 0.19	Mean difference = 0.06	HomVEE calculated = 0.21	Not statistically significant, p = 0.12
Food used as a reward-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	493 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.62	Unadjusted mean = 0.72	Mean difference = -0.09	HomVEE calculated = -0.25	Statistically significant, p = 0.03	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Length-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	483 children	Unadjusted mean = 88.73	Unadjusted mean = 88.42	Mean difference = 0.31	Not available	Not statistically significant, p = 0.35
TV on during meal-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	496 children	Unadjusted mean = 0.66	Unadjusted mean = 0.76	Mean difference = -0.10	HomVEE calculated = -0.29	Statistically significant, p = 0.02	Submitted by user on Fri, 03/15/2019 - 14:29 Authors indicated that negative effect favors the treatment group.
Weight-Complete Case Analysis	FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect	24 months	Sydney, Australia Healthy Beginnings Trial	483 children	Unadjusted mean = 12.98	Unadjusted mean = 13.15	Mean difference = -0.17	Not available	Not statistically significant, p = 0.24

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