Mixed-methods explored the potential for using Sure Start Children’s Centres (SSCCs) to deliver an intervention to improve the diets of disadvantaged women and their children. In an ‘expert’ discussion, SSCC staff described gaining women’s trust, meeting needs and bringing about change as key to engaging women successfully. Structured observations in SSCCs showed they host activities in an environment conducive to building relationships and meeting women’s needs. However, staff often missed opportunities to support women to make dietary changes. These data suggest that an intervention to help staff make the most of these opportunities would have the best chance of success.
AbrahamCMichieS (2008) A taxonomy of behaviour change techniques used in interventions. Health Psychology27(3): 379–387.
2.
BanduraA (1986) Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
3.
BarkerMSwiftJA (2009) The application of psychological theory to nutrition behaviour change. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society68(2): 205–209.
4.
BarkerMLawrenceWCrozierS. (2009) Educational attainment, perceived control and the quality of women’s diets. Appetite52(3): 631–636.
5.
BarkerMLawrenceWSkinnerTC. (2008a) Constraints on the food choices of women with lower educational attainment. Public Health Nutrition11(12): 1229–1237.
6.
BarkerMLawrenceWWoaddenJCrozierSSkinnerTC (2008b) Women of lower educational attainment have lower food involvement and eat less fruit and vegetables. Appetite50(2–3): 464–468.
7.
BelskyJBarnesJMelhuishE (2007) The National Evaluation of Sure Start: Does Area-Based Early Intervention Work?Bristol: Policy Press.
8.
BelskyJMelhuishEBarnesJLeylandAHRomaniukHand the National Evaluation of Sure Start Research Team (2006) Early effects of Sure Start local programmes on children and families: Early findings from a quasi-experimental, cross-sectional study. British Medical Journal332(7556): 1476.
KellyCNStannerSA (2003) Diet and cardiovascular disease in the UK: Are the messages getting across?Proceedings of the Nutrition Society62(3): 583–589.
16.
KennedyLAMiltonBBundredP (2008) Lay food and health worker involvement in community nutrition and dietetics in England: Roles, responsibilities and relationship with professionals. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics21(3): 210–224.
17.
LawrenceWSchlotzWCrozierS. (2011) Specific psychological variables predict quality of diet in women of lower, but not higher, educational attainment. Appetite56(1): 46–52.
18.
LawrenceWSkinnerTCHaslamC. (2009) Why women of lower educational attainment struggle to make healthier food choices: The importance of psychological and social factors. Psychology and Health24(9): 1003–1020.
19.
MelhuishEBelskyJLeylandAHBarnesJand National Evaluation of Sure Start Research Team (2008) Effects of fully-established Sure Start local programmes on 3-year-old children and their families living in England: A quasi-experimental observational study. The Lancet372(9650): 1641–1647.
20.
MichieSAshfordSSniehottaFFDombrowskiSUBishopAFrenchDP (2011, in press) A refined taxonomy of behaviour change techniques to help people change their physical activity and healthy eating behaviours: The CALO-RE taxonomy. Psychology and Health.
21.
RobinsonSMarriotLPooleJ. (2007) Dietary patterns in infancy: The importance of maternal and family influences on feeding practices. British Journal of Nutrition98(5): 1029–1037.
22.
RobinsonSMCrozierSRBorlandSEHammondJBarkerDJPInskipHM (2004) Impact of educational attainment on the quality of young women’s diets. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition58(8): 1174–1180.
23.
SwiftJATischlerV (2010) Qualitative research in nutrition and dietetics: Getting started. Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics23(6): 559–566.
24.
WriedenWLAndersonASLongbottomPJ. (2007) The impact of a community-based food skills intervention on cooking confidence, food preparation methods and dietary choices – an exploratory trial. Public Health Nutrition10(2): 203–211.
