Manuscript Details

Hruska, V., Darlington, G., Haines, J., & Ma, D. W.L. (2020). Parent stress as a consideration in childhood obesity prevention: Results from the Guelph Family Health Study, a pilot randomized controlled trial [Study 1: Four home visits]. Nutrients, 12(6), 1835. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061835

Peer Reviewed

High rating
Study reviewed under: Handbook of Procedures and Standards, Version 2
Study design characteristics contributing to rating
Design Attrition Baseline equivalence Confounding factors? Valid, reliable measures?
Randomized controlled trial Low

Not assessed for randomized controlled trials with low attrition

No

Yes

Notes from the review of this manuscript

Findings for general life stress of mothers measured six and 18 months after enrollment received an indeterminate rating because HomVEE could not confirm the reliability of the measure. Findings for the paternal health outcomes (general stress, parenting distress, and depression) were ineligible for review because they are not in one of HomVEE's eligible outcome domains. The study sample includes participants from Phase I and II of the Guelph Family Health Study.

Maternal Health
Outcome Measure Timing of Follow-Up Rating Direction of Effect Effect Size (Absolute Value) Stastical Significance Sample Size Sample Description
Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Depressive symptoms 6 months after enrollment High
0.11 Not statistically significant, p= 0.65 62 mothers Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample
Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Depressive symptoms 18 months after enrollment High
0.01 Not statistically significant, p= 0.91 62 mothers Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample
Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Parenting distress subscale 6 months after enrollment High
0.12 Not statistically significant, p= 0.63 62 mothers Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample
Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Parenting distress subscale 18 months after enrollment High
0.19 Not statistically significant, p= 0.41 62 mothers Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample
Effect rating key
Favorable finding / Statistically significant
Unfavorable finding / Statistically significant
Ambiguous finding / Statistically significant
No effect / Not statistically significant
Positive Parenting Practices
Outcome Measure Timing of Follow-Up Rating Direction of Effect Effect Size (Absolute Value) Stastical Significance Sample Size Sample Description
Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS), Household chaos 6 months after enrollment High
0.10 Not statistically significant, p= 0.57 60 families Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample
Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS), Household chaos 18 months after enrollment High
0.30 Not statistically significant, p= 0.14 60 families Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample
Effect rating key
Favorable finding / Statistically significant
Unfavorable finding / Statistically significant
Ambiguous finding / Statistically significant
No effect / Not statistically significant

This study included participants with the following characteristics at enrollment:

Race/Ethnicity

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if Hispanic ethnicity was reported separately or respondents could select two or more race or ethnicity categories.

White
82%
Unknown
18%

Maternal Education

Data not available

Other Characteristics

Data not available

This study included participants from the following locations:

  • State not reported or international
International Locations
Canada
Study Participants

Study families were recruited from agencies that provide services for families with young children and postings on the Ontario Early Years Centre Facebook page and the University of Guelph webpage. Families were eligible for the study if they had at least one child between 18 and 60 months and ineligible if they planned to move within the following year or did not speak English. Families were randomized to either the Guelph Family Health Study intervention (41 families) or the comparison condition (28 families). Sixty-three families were included in the analyses in this manuscript (38 in the intervention group and 25 in the comparison group). Outcomes were measured six and 18 months after study enrollment. In the study, 82 percent of parents were White and 86 percent were married. Fifty-six percent possessed a college degree or some college, while 42 percent had postgraduate training. About 75 percent of families had annual household incomes of $60,000 or more.

Setting

The study took place in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Intervention condition
Comparison Conditions

Families assigned to the comparison condition were not eligible to receive intervention services through the Guelph Family Health Study. Families received monthly emails containing publicly available, general information on children’s health, such as the current Canadian physical activity guidelines.

Subgroups examined

There were no subgroups reported in this manuscript.

Author Affiliation

The study authors are affiliated with the University of Guelph and are also the model developers.

Funding Sources

Not reported