Evaluating the Baby-Act behavioral intervention components: Participants' compliance, knowledge, confidence, and goals set and achieved.
Article
Palacios, Cristina, Colon, Maria G Kallis, Valle, Yari et al. (2026). Evaluating the Baby-Act behavioral intervention components: Participants' compliance, knowledge, confidence, and goals set and achieved.
. ACADEMIC PEDIATRICS, 103273. 10.1016/j.acap.2026.103273
Palacios, Cristina, Colon, Maria G Kallis, Valle, Yari et al. (2026). Evaluating the Baby-Act behavioral intervention components: Participants' compliance, knowledge, confidence, and goals set and achieved.
. ACADEMIC PEDIATRICS, 103273. 10.1016/j.acap.2026.103273
Few infant obesity preventing interventions have evaluated their components for participants' experiences and satisfaction.
Objectives
To evaluate the Baby-Act behavioral intervention components by reviewing participants' compliance, knowledge, confidence, goals set and barriers for achievement.
Methods
Baby-Act was a cluster randomized clinical trial to test a multi-modal intervention on healthy feeding practices, physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and sleep among Puerto Rico WIC participants from pregnancy until first year of life through weekly online lessons, reinforced with weekly text messages and monthly calls. The lessons included knowledge questions, goals (set, met, challenges and strategies for meeting them), confidence in performing the recommended activities and their usefulness. Calls asked about confidence and barriers to meeting goals, helpfulness of recommendations, and overall experience. Median (25th, 75th percentiles) or frequencies were used for closed-ended questions; themes were identified for open-ended questions.
Results
207 completed the intervention; 41.3% completed all lessons in pregnancy, 19.0% completed >70% of all lessons (higher for older and more educated mothers, p<0.05), and 10% completed at least 70% of calls; however, >50% completed at least one lesson/call per topic. Most set/met their goals (>93%) with high confidence, responded correctly the knowledge questions (>61%), read text messages (95.5%) and felt that recommendations were helpful (>98%). Acting consistently helped them reach their goals, and most found the recommendations practical/valuable, with overall high satisfaction.
Conclusions
Most participants highly valued the Baby-Act intervention for its educational content focused on setting and reviewing their weekly goal, user-friendly platform, and positive impact on parenting confidence.
