Simply Dinner: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Home Meal Delivery

Authors

• Hyunjin Choi, Missouri State UniversityFollow
• Holly E. Brophy-Herb, Michigan State University
• Tiffany L. Martoccio, University of Maryland, College Park
• Jean M. Kerver, MSU College of Human Medicine
• L. Alexandra Jeanpierre, University of Michigan Medical School
• Jessica Williams, Michigan State University
• Koi Mitchell, Michigan State University
• Corby K. Martin, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
• Julie Sturza, University of Michigan Medical School
• Dawn A. Contreras, Michigan State University
• Mildred A. Horodynski, Michigan State University
• Laurie A. Van Egeren, Michigan State University
• Niko Kaciroti, University of Michigan Medical School;University of Michigan School of Public Health
• Julie C. Lumeng, University of Michigan Medical School;University of Michigan School of Public Health

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of a bundled intervention (home meal delivery and provision of cooking/serving resources) on preschoolers’ body mass index z-score (BMIz), dietary quality, and family meal frequency. Methods: Participants (299 families; mean child age 4.4 years, 47% male, 55% White, 18% Black, 27% Hispanic or other race and ethnicity, and 25% were overweight or obese) were randomized to a control group or to provision of cooking/serving resources plus home meal delivery for 12 weeks (meals provided by Meals on Wheels [MOW cohort, n = 83] or a commercial service [COM cohort, n = 216]). Outcomes were child dietary quality, family meal frequency, and child BMIz. Results: The intervention increased dinnertime intake of red and orange vegetables in the full sample (MOW cohort+COM cohort) (0.10 pre- to 0.15 cup equivalents (CE) post-in the intervention group vs 0.10 pre- to 0.09 post- in the control group; P = .01) and the COM cohort (0.11 pre- to 0.17 CE post- vs 0.11 pre- to 0.09 post-; P = .002), and typical daily dietary intake of fruit and fruit juice in the MOW cohort (1.50 CE pre- to 1.66 post- vs 1.48 pre- to 1.19 post-; P = .05). The intervention did not change meal frequency or BMIz. Conclusions: Short-term home meal delivery with provision of cooking/serving resources improved dietary quality among preschool-aged children but did not change meal frequency or BMIz. Expansion of Meals on Wheels programs to preschool-aged children may be a promising intervention to improve dietary quality. Family meals, when already frequent, are not further increased by reducing the burden of meal preparation.

Department(s)

School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Science

Document Type

Article

DOI

10.1016/j.acap.2022.10.021

Keywords

BMIz, cooking materials, dietary quality, family meals, meal delivery, meals on wheels, obesity, preschoolers

Publication Date

7-1-2023

Recommended Citation

Choi, Hyunjin; Brophy-Herb, Holly E.; Martoccio, Tiffany L.; Kerver, Jean M.; Jeanpierre, L. Alexandra; Williams, Jessica; Mitchell, Koi; Martin, Corby K.; Sturza, Julie; Contreras, Dawn A.; Horodynski, Mildred A.; Van Egeren, Laurie A.; Kaciroti, Niko; and Lumeng, Julie C., "Simply Dinner: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Home Meal Delivery" (2023). Faculty Scholarship. 566.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/articles00/566

Journal Title

Academic Pediatrics