Feasibility of a Psychoeducational Intervention for Empowering Parents to Optimise Feeding Practices in China: A Randomised Controlled Feasibility Trial

Parental feeding practices play a crucial role in preventing childhood obesity and promoting healthy eating habits. However, few interventions are specifically designed to improve these practices. We aimed to assess the feasibility and preliminary effects of a novel psychoeducational intervention, Empower Parents to Optimise Feeding Practices (EPO-Feeding), tailored to enhance parental feeding practices in China. A parallel-arm feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in two public kindergartens in Yangzhou, China. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (EPO-Feeding programme plus usual care) or control group (usual care). Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and 1 month after intervention. Descriptive statistics assessed feasibility and acceptability, while analysis of variance for repeated measures and generalised estimating equations analysed continuous and categorical outcomes across time points, respectively. Within 2 weeks, 131 parents expressed interest, and 84 eligible participants were randomly assigned. Module attendance and retention rates were high, with 83.3% (n = 35) completing all sessions and 97.6% (n = 82) completing all measurements. Satisfaction surveys indicated high acceptability. Statistically significant improvements were observed in the intervention group, including increased encouragement of healthy eating and monitoring, reduced pressure to eat and food as rewards, improved weight accurate perception, and enhanced parenting efficacy (p < 0.05). However, no significant effects were found in long-term outcomes, including children's eating behaviours and weight status. This study demonstrates high feasibility and acceptability of the EPO-Feeding programme and suggests its potential to support Chinese parents' feeding strategies. A full-scale RCT is recommended. Trial registration. It was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06181773), 20/11/2023.