10-week digital program to help families promote healthy eating and activity for preschoolers
Official title: Utilizing Digital Health Approaches to Promote Early Childhood Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors
Run by Cornell University · NCT07224412 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot will try a 10-week mobile app plus virtual group sessions and mailed child materials to help parents of 3–5-year-olds encourage healthier eating and more active play.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Cornell University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Ithaca, New York) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 5, 2026 |
| Main results expected | March 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | March 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | February 12, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07224412 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Parents or primary caregivers of typically developing children aged 3–5 who have a smartphone, reliable home internet, and can participate in English-language video calls are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Families without smartphone/internet access, non-English speakers, or those with a child who has a disability or condition affecting typical eating or activity behaviors are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The eHEROs pilot tests the KnowHow program, a 10-week digital intervention that combines a custom mobile app, virtual group discussions, and mailed child-centered support materials to support mindful parenting, healthy eating, and physical literacy. Families are randomized to an immediate intervention group or a delayed control group, with baseline and post-test measures for behavioral outcomes and theoretical mediators. Feasibility and implementation outcomes—such as recruitment, retention, usability, digital engagement, enactment, and intention to sustain—are collected at post-test only. The trial focuses on acceptability and feasibility rather than definitive effectiveness.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could give parents practical skills and routines that improve preschoolers' eating and activity habits.
How similar studies have gone: Previous mHealth and parenting interventions have shown modest improvements in parental practices and child diet/activity, but combined app-plus-group programs for preschoolers are relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants must have a preschool-aged child (3-5 years) with no disabilities or conditions that impact typical eating and activity behaviors. * Adult participants must have access to a smartphone, reliable internet at home, and can make video calls. Exclusion Criteria: * Adults who do not have a child aged 3-5 or child has a disability/condition that impact typical eating and activity behaviors. * Technology access is limited. * Adults who read, write or speak a language other than English.
Where it's running
-
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Laura L Bellows, PhD — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Laura L Bellows, PhD, MPH, RDN
- Email: laura.bellows@cornell.edu
- Phone: 607-253-2173
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.