Evidence mapPaperPMID 42316766Full record

Trial reportHealth promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals2026

Evaluation of Short Videos Supporting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in Early Childhood Education: The Small Bites for Big Steps Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.

Rachel A Jones, Sarah Ryan, Nicole Tate, Ruth Crowe, Arlita Willman, Megan Hammersley

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Evaluation of Short Videos Supporting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in Early Childhood Education: The Small Bites for Big Steps Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2026
    Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rachel A JonesSchool of Education, Early Start, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5384-1941
Sarah RyanSchool of Social Sciences, Early Start, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.
Nicole TateNorthern Sydney Local Health District Population Health Promotion, Brookvale Community Health Centre, Sydney, Australia.
Ruth CroweNorthern Sydney Local Health District Population Health Promotion, Brookvale Community Health Centre, Sydney, Australia.
Arlita WillmanNorthern Sydney Local Health District Population Health Promotion, Brookvale Community Health Centre, Sydney, Australia.
Megan HammersleySchool of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4326-480X

Funding

Northern Sydney Local Health District, Population Health Promotion teamNSW HealthPreventative Research Support Program
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

issue addressedEarly childhood education and care (ECEC) centres are an ideal setting to promote key healthy eating and active living (HEAL) practices. Redesigning messages around such practices to be digital could help engage ECEC educators and assist with long-term implementation and reach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential impact of a HEAL-focused video initiative (Small Bites for Big Steps) on precursors to behaviour change including educators' self-efficacy, perceived behavioural control and behavioural intentions and the acceptability of the videos.

methodA pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted with early childhood educators (56% aged 25-44 years, 98% female). Participants randomised to the intervention group received on average 3-4 weekly videos promoting HEAL practices, whilst participants in the control group maintained usual practice. Educators' self-efficacy, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intention were assessed using questionnaires at baseline and post-intervention (9 weeks). Data were analysed using Mann Whitney U tests in SPSS and thematic analysis. Acceptability data were collected using questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, and Vimeo analytics.

resultsOne hundred and six educators from 16 ECEC services were recruited. Exploratory efficacy analysis found significant improvements from baseline to post-intervention between groups for healthy eating/drinking perceived behavioural control. At post-intervention, there was a significant difference between intervention and control groups for healthy eating/drinking behavioural intention, physical activity behavioural intention, and overall behavioural intention. No significant between group differences were observed for changes in perceived behavioural control relating to physical activity or for any self-efficacy measures. Educators valued the content, length and approach of the videos. Limitations identified from the qualitative data included technical difficulties and cultural appropriateness.

conclusionsThis video-based intervention positively influenced educators' perceived behavioural control and behavioural intentions, key precursors to behaviour change. The video suite was acceptable to educators. SO WHAT?: Redesigning HEAL messages into video resources may support ECEC educators to promote and implement these practices to young children and their families/carers.

Indexed as

Diet, HealthyExerciseHealth PromotionVideo RecordingAdultChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHealth BehaviorHumansIntentionMalePilot ProjectsSelf EfficacySurveys and Questionnairesearly childhoodeducatorshealthy eatinginterventionphysical activityvideos

Identifiers

PMID42316766
PMCPMC13280184

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.