A new program called WISE Words is being tested at 88 daycare centers to help teachers stop using harmful feeding practices like pressuring children to eat or using food as rewards. According to Gram Research analysis, children eat up to 500 meals annually in early care settings, making these centers powerful places to shape healthy eating habits. The program uses six strategies including special training, peer learning groups, and feedback to help teachers adopt evidence-based feeding practices that support children’s natural ability to regulate their own eating.
Researchers are testing a new program called WISE Words designed to help daycare and preschool teachers change how they feed children. Many teachers unknowingly use feeding practices that can harm kids’ eating habits, like pressuring them to finish their plates or using food as a reward. This study will work with 88 early care centers in Arkansas and Louisiana to teach teachers better feeding methods. The goal is to help children develop healthier relationships with food and reduce obesity risk, since kids eat up to 500 meals per year at these centers.
Key Statistics
A Hybrid Type 3 cluster-randomized trial is testing the WISE Words program across 88 early care and education centers in Arkansas and Louisiana to reduce inappropriate feeding practices that contribute to childhood obesity.
Children consume up to 500 meals annually in early care and education settings, making these environments strategic venues for shaping eating behaviors and preventing obesity risk.
The WISE Words deimplementation strategy includes six evidence-based approaches: dynamic training using improvisation, peer learning collaboratives with goal setting, external facilitation, audit and feedback, environmental reminders, and tailored educational materials.
The study will measure sustainability of behavior change at 12 and 24 months post-intervention, addressing a notable gap in deimplementation research where few studies examine whether practice changes persist over time.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Whether a training program can help daycare teachers stop using feeding practices that harm children’s eating habits and start using healthier feeding methods instead.
- Who participated: 88 early care and education centers (daycare and preschool facilities) across Arkansas and Louisiana, serving children in these settings.
- Key finding: The WISE Words program uses six different strategies including special training, peer learning groups, feedback, and reminders to help teachers change how they feed children and adopt better practices.
- What it means for you: If your child attends daycare or preschool, this research could lead to better feeding practices at their center, helping them develop healthier eating habits and reducing obesity risk. Results will show whether these changes stick over time.
The Research Details
This is a cluster-randomized trial, which means researchers will randomly assign 88 daycare centers to either receive the WISE Words program immediately or continue with their usual practices for two years before getting the program. This design lets researchers compare what happens at centers that get the training versus those that don’t.
The WISE Words program includes six main strategies: special training that uses improvisation and role-playing, peer learning groups where teachers set goals together, outside experts helping centers make changes, regular feedback about how they’re doing, visual reminders around the classroom, and customized educational materials. Researchers will observe mealtimes directly to see if teachers actually stop using harmful feeding practices and start using better ones.
The study will track results at 12 months and 24 months after the program starts. Researchers will also look at whether the changes stick around over time and whether teachers trust the program—because trust might be the key reason why the program works.
This research is important because it’s one of the first studies to test whether we can reduce harmful practices in community settings like daycare, not just in hospitals or doctor’s offices. Children eat hundreds of meals at daycare each year, making it a powerful place to shape their eating habits. The study also tests whether trust between teachers and trainers helps make changes stick, which is a new idea in this type of research.
This is a well-designed study with several strengths: it uses random assignment to reduce bias, it includes a large number of centers across two states, it measures actual mealtime behavior through direct observation rather than just asking teachers, and it follows centers for two years to see if changes last. The study also includes child-level outcomes like weight and willingness to try new foods. One limitation is that the study is still ongoing (registered in 2025), so results aren’t available yet.
What the Results Show
This study is currently underway and results are not yet published. However, the research plan shows that the primary outcome will be measured through direct observation of mealtimes using a tool called Table Talk, which will track whether teachers stop using inappropriate feeding practices like pressuring children to eat, rushing meals, or using food as rewards.
The WISE Words program targets specific harmful practices that research has shown can lead to problems with children’s eating habits. These include pressuring kids to finish everything on their plate (which can make them ignore their own hunger signals), rushing through meals, and offering treats as rewards for good behavior. By stopping these practices, the program aims to help children develop better self-regulation around food.
Secondary outcomes will measure whether teachers adopt evidence-based feeding practices, whether they find the program acceptable and appropriate, and whether the changes are sustainable over time. The study will also track child outcomes including body mass index (BMI), nutritional status measured through skin carotenoid levels, and children’s willingness to try new foods.
Beyond just changing teacher behavior, the study will examine whether children actually benefit through improved eating habits and health outcomes. Researchers will use a tool called the Veggie Meter to measure how many vegetables children are eating by looking at skin color (which reflects vegetable intake). They’ll also observe whether children become more willing to try new foods and ask teachers about food neophobia—the tendency to be afraid of trying unfamiliar foods. These child-level outcomes are important because they show whether changing teacher behavior actually leads to healthier kids.
According to Gram Research analysis, this study is groundbreaking because it’s one of the first to apply deimplementation science—the science of reducing harmful practices—to community and educational settings rather than just clinical healthcare. Previous research has shown that these harmful feeding practices are common in daycare settings and contribute to childhood obesity and eating problems. This study builds on that knowledge by testing whether a structured program can actually change these deeply embedded practices.
Since this is an ongoing study, we don’t yet know if the program will work as intended. The study is limited to centers in Arkansas and Louisiana, so results may not apply to all regions. The study relies on direct observation of mealtimes, which can be time-consuming and may change how teachers behave when they know they’re being watched. Additionally, the study’s success depends on teachers being willing to change their practices and centers being willing to implement the program fully.
The Bottom Line
Based on the research design and evidence about harmful feeding practices, parents should look for daycare centers that use responsive feeding practices: letting children decide how much to eat, not pressuring them to finish meals, and not using food as a reward. If your child’s center participates in training programs like WISE Words, this is a positive sign. Parents can also ask teachers about their feeding philosophy and whether they receive training on child nutrition and development.
Parents with children in daycare or preschool should care about this research because it directly affects their children’s eating habits and health. Daycare directors and teachers should care because it offers evidence-based strategies to improve their practices. Policymakers should care because it shows how to improve child health in community settings. This research is less relevant for parents who prepare all meals at home, though the principles apply to family mealtimes too.
Changes in teacher behavior may be noticeable within weeks to months of starting the WISE Words program, but the full benefits for children’s eating habits and health may take 6-12 months to become apparent. The study will measure sustainability at 24 months, so we’ll know whether changes stick around for at least two years. Long-term benefits for children’s weight and eating habits may take even longer to fully develop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What feeding practices at daycare are actually harmful to kids?
Pressuring children to finish their plates, rushing through meals, and using food as a reward all undermine children’s natural ability to know when they’re full. These practices can lead to food aversions, poor eating habits, and increased obesity risk.
How many meals do kids eat at daycare each year?
Children consume up to 500 meals annually in early care and education settings, making daycare a critical environment for shaping eating behaviors and establishing healthy habits that can last a lifetime.
What is the WISE Words program and how does it work?
WISE Words is a training program that uses six strategies including special improvisation-based training, peer learning groups, expert facilitation, feedback, visual reminders, and educational materials to help daycare teachers change harmful feeding practices.
Will changes in daycare feeding practices actually help my child’s health?
The study will measure whether changes lead to improved child outcomes including healthier weight, better nutrition, and increased willingness to try new foods. Results at 12 and 24 months will show whether these benefits develop and persist.
How can I tell if my daycare uses healthy feeding practices?
Ask your daycare director whether they let children decide when they’re full, avoid pressuring kids to eat, don’t use food as rewards, and provide unhurried mealtimes. Look for centers that participate in nutrition training programs.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Track your child’s mealtime experiences at daycare by asking specific questions daily: ‘Did your teacher let you decide when you were full?’ and ‘Did you try any new foods today?’ Rate responses on a simple scale to monitor whether feeding practices are improving.
- Use the app to set a goal of having one responsive feeding conversation with your child’s daycare director per month, asking about their feeding practices and sharing what you learn about healthy feeding. Log these conversations to track engagement.
- Create a monthly check-in reminder to review your child’s willingness to try new foods and their reported comfort at mealtimes. Track any changes in food preferences, anxiety around eating, or enthusiasm for meals as indicators of whether feeding practices are improving.
This article describes an ongoing research study and does not constitute medical advice. Results are not yet available. Parents should consult with their pediatrician about their child’s nutrition and eating habits. While this research shows promise for improving feeding practices in daycare settings, individual results may vary. Always discuss any concerns about your child’s eating or weight with a healthcare provider before making changes.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.
