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Table 3 Study characteristics

From: Process evaluations of early childhood obesity prevention interventions delivered via telephone or text messages: a systematic review

Characteristic

Category

Studies

n

%a

STUDY

 Year study commenced (N = 24)

2003 to 2011

5

21

2012 to 2016

7

29

2017 to 2019

12

50

 Country of studies (N = 24)

Australia

6

25

China

1

4

Denmark

1

4

India

1

4

Malaysia

1

4

Myanmar

1

4

Netherlands

1

4

Spain

1

4

Sweden

1

4

UK

1

4

USA

9

38

 Study design (N = 24)

RCT

18

75

Cluster RCT

2

8

Non-concurrent, prospective comparison trial

1

4

Pragmatic design

1

4

Quasi-experimental design

2

8

 Participant retention rate (N = 24)

> 90%

6

25

80–90%

9

38

< 80%

4

17

Not specified/unclear/ongoing

5

21

MEDIUM

 Intervention setting (N = 24)

Community settings (Child health centres, parent groups, health check clinics, primary care)

6

25

Home

5

21

Participant choice

13

54

 Mode of intervention delivery (N = 24)

Face-to-face (group or home visits or community settings) + Supplementary telephone

7

29

Face-to-face (group or home visits or community settings) + Supplementary text messages

3

12

Face-to-face (group or home visits or community settings) + Supplementary telephone and text messages

1

4

Telephone

5

21

Telephone (incl. apps) + Text messages

5

21

Text messages

3

12

POPULATION

 Age of child at intervention commencement (N = 24)

Prior to child’s birth (during pregnancy)

6

25

0–3 months

10

42

4–6 months

3

12

7–9 months

1

4

> 12 months

4

17

 Mean age of mother (N = 20)

21–30 years

12

60

31–40 years

8

40

 Parity of mothers (N = 14)

Primiparous 100%

5

36

Primiparous 50–99%

6

43

Primiparous < 50%

3

21

 Qualifications of mother (N = 18)

Tertiary (> 50%)

9

50

Tertiary (< 50%)

2

11

High school (> 50%)

5

28

High school (< 50%)

2

11

INTERVENTION

 Intervention duration (N = 24)

≤ 6 months

11

46

7–12 months

7

29

13–24 months

4

17

>  24 months

2

8

 Intervention deliverers (N = 24)

Automated

5

21

Counsellor

1

4

Dietitians

2

8

Health Educator/Instructor

4

17

Lactation consultant

1

4

Medical Team

1

4

Nurse + Peer Counsellor

1

4

Nurses / Midwives

9

38

Number of intervention sessions

 Face-to-face ± telephone

1 to 9

16

 

10 to 19

2

 

> 20

1

 

 Text messages

1 to 9

1

 

10 to 19

1

 

20 to 49

3

 

> 50

6

 

OUTCOMES

 Number of outcomes measured (N = 24)

One

6

 

Two

4

 

Three

9

 

Four or more

5

 

 Child outcomes measured

BMIz

13

 

Weight gain

3

 

Breastfeeding

16

 

Solid feeding / food habits

15

 

Tummy time

3

 

Play time / Physical activity

5

 

Sleep duration / sleep quality

4

 

TV viewing / Screen time

7

 

Goal setting for mothers

4

 

Mother’s well-being

2

 

 Measurement time points (child’s age)

0–3 months

24

 

4–6 months

16

 

7–9 months

3

 

10–12 months

5

 

12–24 months

4

 

>  24 months

9

 

PROCESS EVALUATION / SATISFACTION

 Process evaluation / satisfaction (N = 24)

Mention of process evaluation

8

33

Mention of Satisfaction measure

3

12

 Evaluation post-intervention

Quantitative survey

1

 

Qualitative interviews

5

 

 Evaluation during intervention

Quantitative survey

8

 

Qualitative interviews

4

 
  1. Abbreviations: RCT randomised controlled trial; UK United Kingdom; USA United States of America
  2. aNumbers rounded so total may not add up to 100