Family Grocery Study R01

Obesity continues to be a major public health concern, and children who are overweight by age 5 are at increased risk for future obesity, highlighting the importance of early efforts to promote healthy eating and growth. The goal of this project is to test a new family-based approach to early childhood obesity prevention, specifically using pre-filled, online grocery shopping carts to make it easier for parents to select healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. This study will be the first to test whether such default shopping carts can help promote the purchasing and consumption of healthier foods, as well as healthier diets and weight outcomes, among parents with obesity and their 2-to-5-year-old children, offering the potential for a meaningful impact on the health of young children and their families.

Inclusion Criteria: * The participating adult must be \>18 years old * Participating adult is English speaking * Participating adult has a self-reported body mass index \>30 * Participating adult has a 2-to-5-year-old child * The participant also must report online grocery shopping from study stores (Aldi, Tops, Wegman's, and/or Walmart) at least 2 times per month * Willing to purchase fresh foods online (e.g., fruits, vegetables, meat if meat is consumed), vs. using online shopping solely for shelf-stable pantry staples. * Participants also must be a primary caregiver of the enrolled child * Do greater than or equal to 75% of their grocery shopping from study stores and at least 50% of the grocery shopping for the family. Exclusion Criteria: * Families in which the child is underweight (BMI-for-age percentile \