Introduction
Supporting positive diet behaviours during infancy is essential to support child health and prevent childhood obesity. How infant diet-related outcomes are measured in trials is crucial to determining intervention effectiveness. This scoping review examined what and how outcome measurement instruments are currently used to measure 13 infant diet-related outcomes from a previously developed core outcome set.
Methods
The databases EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched from inception to September 2023. Eligible studies reported trials that included infants =1 year old and at least one diet-related outcome measurement instrument. Titles/abstracts and full texts were independently screened in duplicate. Data were narratively synthesised.
Results
136 studies reporting 133 trials were included. Outcome measurement instruments used included 66 questionnaires (n = 70 studies), 65 individual questions (n = 45 studies), 24 food diaries/records (n = 21 studies), 11 24-hour dietary recall (n = 11 studies), and healthcare record data (n = 6 studies). Outcome measurement instruments were predominantly self-administered by researchers in participants homes. There was a lack of reporting for some outcome measurements used.
Conclusion
Review findings highlight the need to improve clarity and completeness of outcome reporting. The findings also provide an important first step to address heterogeneity in measurement of infant diet-related outcomes. Consistent measurement of diet-related outcomes is needed to improve synthesis and evaluation of obesity prevention interventions.
Karen Matvienko-Sikar, Moira Duffy, Eibhlín Looney, Reindolf Anokye, Catherine S. Birken, Vicki Brown, Darren Dahly, Ann S. Doherty, Dimity Dutch, Rebecca Golley, Brittany J. Johnson, Patricia Leahy-Warren, Marian McBride, Elizabeth McCarthy, Andrew W. Murphy, Sarah Redsell, Caroline B. Terwee
Disease Category: Child health
Disease Name: Feeding the infant, Obesity
Age Range: 0 - 1
Sex: Either
Nature of Intervention: Diet and nutrition
- Recommendations for outcome measures (measurement/how)