NR 716 Week 3 The Practice Question

NR 716 Week 3 The Practice Question

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-716: Analytic Methods

Prof. Name:

Date

NR 716 Week 3 Discussion Thread

Practice Question

Hi Dr. Jennings,

My practice question is:

In families with children, does participation in the Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus Program, compared with usual mealtime routines, improve nutrition-related outcomes and health behaviors over an 8–10 week period? (Fulkerson et al., 2018).

This question is particularly significant because childhood obesity remains a pressing public health issue with serious health and financial implications (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022). Children who struggle with obesity face long-term health risks, including chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension in adulthood. Therefore, it is essential to explore evidence-based, family-centered approaches that promote sustainable healthy behaviors at an early age.

Importance of Collaborative Efforts

Tackling the childhood obesity epidemic requires a multifaceted and collaborative approach. Healthcare providers, researchers, community organizations, and families must work together to identify barriers to healthy living while also implementing strategies that foster lasting change.

Leach and Tucker (2018) emphasized that reducing the research-to-practice gap is a critical step in ensuring that evidence-based interventions are effectively used in community and clinical settings. Collaboration across disciplines not only enhances knowledge sharing but also encourages accountability, which is essential when promoting healthier food environments and daily routines within families.

Evidence-Based Interventions from the HOME Plus Program

The HOME Plus Program was designed as a structured, family-oriented intervention that improved the household food environment and mealtime practices. Core elements of the intervention included:

• Encouraging healthier food purchasing and cooking practices.
• Decreasing children’s intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Limiting screen time and sedentary behaviors.
• Strengthening self-efficacy in parents for preparing balanced meals.

The study enrolled 160 children aged 8–12 years and their parents, assigning 81 families to the intervention group and 79 to the control group. By targeting both parents and children, the program recognized that role modeling and shared family routines are powerful influences on children’s eating behaviors.

NR 716 Week 3 The Practice Question

Outcomes of the Study

The findings indicate that structured, evidence-based family interventions can yield both immediate and long-term improvements in dietary behaviors. Enhancements in parental skills, such as recognizing appropriate portion sizes, directly influenced children’s nutrition patterns, demonstrating the ripple effect of family-centered programs.

Data Collection and Retention Rates

To evaluate program effectiveness, the study relied on surveys and dietary recalls at multiple intervals:

• Baseline: Data collected before implementation.
• Post-intervention (12 months): Retention rate of 93%.
• Follow-up (21 months): Retention rate of 89%.

The consistently high retention rates demonstrate that the HOME Plus Program was feasible, acceptable, and sustainable in real-world family settings. Such findings strengthen the case for broader adoption of similar family-centered interventions.

Implications for Nursing Practice

Nurses play a central role in health promotion and preventive care, making them key advocates for family-centered nutrition interventions. By incorporating evidence-based programs like HOME Plus into practice, nurses can support families in:

• Establishing healthier mealtime routines.
• Educating parents on portion control and nutritional choices.
• Reducing children’s risk for obesity-related conditions.

Moreover, the program highlights how interdisciplinary collaboration ensures that interventions are not only scientifically valid but also practical and sustainable in community and family settings. By bridging the research-practice gap, nurses help ensure that families receive the support they need to make meaningful lifestyle changes.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Obesity. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/index.html

Fulkerson, J. A., Friend, S., Horning, M., Flattum, C., Draxten, M., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Gurvich, O., Garwick, A., Story, M., & Kubik, M. Y. (2018). Family home food environment and nutrition-related parent and child personal and behavioral outcomes of the Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus Program: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 118(2), 240–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2017.04.006

NR 716 Week 3 The Practice Question

Leach, M. J., & Tucker, B. (2018). Current understandings of the research-practice gap in nursing: A mixed-methods study. Collegian, 25(2), 171–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2017.04.008