NOURISH‐T: Targeting caregivers to improve health behaviors in pediatric cancer survivors with obesity

Abstract

Results suggest that an intervention targeting parents is feasible and demonstrates preliminary effectiveness. NOURISH-T showed a longer term effect on caregivers, and, although shorter term effect, a positive impact on the PCS themselves. Implications for ways to improve NOURISH-T as an intervention for increasing healthy behaviors of PCS are discussed.

Acceptability and feasibility of a parent‐targeted dietary intervention in young survivors of childhood cancer: “Reboot”

“…Sixteen of the 22 participating parents engaged in all four telephone sessions contributing to a high rate of intervention completion. Our early pilot data, together with evidence of parents receptivity to increasing occasions of vegetable and fruit providing to young survivors, support our hypothesis that exclusively targeting parents in a dietary intervention is an acceptable strategy to promote healthy eating habits in pediatric cancer survivors 33,20 …”

“…Given that most young survivors had an earlier diagnosis of ALL, which has an approximate treatment time of 2 years, 4 our preliminary data suggest that the optimal time to recruit families may be at least 2 years after treatment completion 20 . While lymphoid leukemias are among the most frequently diagnosed cancers in childhood 40 and often overrepresented in dietary interventions in this population, 17,20,38 evidence of unhealthy weight patterns 4,41 and suboptimal dietary intake 8,29,42 in young survivors of ALL indicates that this subgroup of young survivors may be the most appropriate target for a parent‐targeted dietary intervention 14 . Socioeconomic ranking may further influence study participation, with study respondents more likely to reside in geographical areas associated with a higher socioeconomic ranking compared with nonrespondents 18 .…”

“…Although Reboot encouraged parents to limit the visibility and availability of noncore foods or “junk foods” in the home, we did not include a measure of “junk food” intake. Earlier trials of parent‐targeted dietary interventions in young survivors and the general pediatric population have had limited success in reducing fast food 20,35 and total caloric intake, 38 particularly in younger children. Promoting substantial changes in young survivors’ junk food intake may therefore necessitate more intensive strategies than can be achieved using four dietary intervention sessions 43 .…”

“…Promoting substantial changes in young survivors’ junk food intake may therefore necessitate more intensive strategies than can be achieved using four dietary intervention sessions 43 . Further investigation is warranted to explore the impact of Reboot on survivors’ intake of sodium and saturated fat, 44 fast foods, processed snacks, and sugar sweetened beverages 17,20 …”

“…Telephone‐based dietary support may represent an acceptable strategy for promoting healthy eating habits in pediatric cancer survivors who are often geographically dispersed 19 . Earlier studies have targeted or involved parents to reduce caloric intake 20,21 and increase calcium intake 22 in pediatric cancer survivors, but are yet to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of parent‐targeted dietary interventions aimed at promoting vegetables and fruits in this population 14 . To address this gap, we aimed to pilot Reboot, a parent vegetable and fruit intervention in families of young survivors of childhood cancer early off treatment.…”