Can Anticipatory Guidance About Infant Diet Help Prevent Obesity?

Three primary care clinics in Ohio were randomized to pilot one of three brief anticipatory guidance interventions designed to reduce obesogenic infant feeding behaviors. The intervention was delivered at each well-child visit during the first year (at 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months). The clinics were located in geographic areas where 75% of adults were overweight or obese and 85% received Medicaid. One intervention was a maternal-focused intervention aimed at maternal eating habits. The second intervention was a detailed program focused on infant feeding (Ounce of Prevention). The control group received usual care based on the Bright Futures nutrition pocket guide (2002).

Among the 292 mother-child dyads, 25% and 36% were lost to follow-up at 6 …