Efficacy of Center-based Childcare to Mitigate Unhealthy Weight Gain in Preschoolers From Low-income Households During the Summer
Who can join
Ages 3 to 5 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Children will need to be enrolled in a needs-based pre-K program in our partner organizations to be eligible to participate. No other exclusion criteria will be applied Exclusion Criteria: \-
About the study
Studies show that preschool-age children are especially vulnerable to accelerated weight gain during the summer, with those from low-income households (≤185% poverty level or Medicaid eligible - the target population for this study) exhibiting the greatest risk of unhealthy weight gain. Despite numerous interventions designed to prevent OWOB, none target preschoolers during summer. For families from low-income households, attending center-based childcare is associated with a lower risk of developing OWOB by 1st grade compared to attending home-based care. Center-based childcare lowers the risk of OWOB through daily rules/routines that promote healthy behaviors. For families from low-income households, publicly funded center-based childcares (e.g., needs-based pre-K, Head Start) typically operate on an academic/school 9-month calendar (Aug-May). During summer, fewer than 30% of preschoolers attend center-based childcare. For many preschoolers from lower-income households, summer may serve as an extended period away from formal center-based childcare, because the out-of-pocket expense may prohibit attendance. This may promote unhealthy behaviors and excessive weight gain. In the majority of US states, publicly funded center-based childcare during the academic/school year for families from underserved populations is free; however, center-based childcare during the summer is an out-of-pocket expense for many of these families. Despite parents' desire for childcare during the summer, a major reason children from low-income households do not attend center-based care during summer is cost. This creates unequal access to resources and likely exacerbates health disparities for families from low-income households. Using a structural intervention approach, this study will test the impact of providing free center-based childcare in the summer. This R01 will rigorously test the impact of providing free center-based childcare during the summer on weight status of preschoolers from low-income households (≤185% of poverty level or Medicaid eligible).
What is being tested
- Childcare (behavioral)
Sponsor: University of South Carolina · Participants: 300 · Started: May 1, 2026
Contact the study team
- Michael W Beets, MEd, MPH, PhD · Phone: 8037773003
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07583459
Locations in the U.S.
| South Carolina | University of South Carolina, Columbia |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.