Bottle-fed infants are at significantly greater risk for overfeeding and rapid weight gain (RWG), yet few studies focus on promoting healthy feeding practices for bottle-feeding caregivers. Bottle-feeding caregivers receive little support related to learning appropriate bottle-feeding practices, and this problem is pronounced in low-income, minority populations at higher risk for bottle-feeding, use of unhealthy feeding practices, and obesity. One of the best ways to reach low-income, minority, bottle-feeding caregivers is through the WIC program. Currently, bottle-feeding mothers within WIC are not receiving the support they need to learn healthy bottle-feeding practices. Practical, policy-relevant research is needed to address this critical gap in research and practice.Specific aims of this study are to 1) develop, implement, and evaluate PSE strategies to promote responsive bottle-feeding practices among WIC mothers, with the ultimate goal of moderating risk for RWG and obesity among WIC infants; and 2) examine the impact of PSE strategies on WIC program retention at 12 months of age.
Promoting Responsive Bottle-Feeding Practices Among Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Mothers to Reduce Infants’ Rapid Weight Gain and Obesity
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