Our Principal Investigator, Dr. Elizabeth Widen, and Dr. Deborah Jacobvitz have been awarded an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for their project titled: “Mothers and CareGivers Investing in Children: A virtual intervention to support healthy growth in infants and toddlers.” This study aims to prevent childhood obesity by testing the effectiveness of the MAGIC-FEED+ program, a virtual intervention designed to promote responsive bottle- and breastfeeding, healthy eating habits, and self-regulation in infancy with the goal of supporting healthy growth during and after infancy. Building on prior success of the MAGIC-FEED program focused on complementary feeding, this efficacy trial will expand the intervention to start earlier in infancy and follow children for a longer period to assess the impact of the program on infant growth and other health outcomes.
The trial will enroll 266 infants and their caregivers, delivering intervention coaching sessions from 3 weeks to 10 months of age, with follow-up assessments at 13 and 24 months.
As the first interactive virtual trial of its kind, MAGIC-FEED has the potential for widespread public health impact, informing future large-scale implementation to support healthy feeding practices and growth, and to prevent obesity. Read the full project details.
