This project is being undertaken by Helen Ross for her thesis to complete a Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at Massey University, Albany. The project will be supervised by Associate Professors Carol Wham and Rozanne Kruger from the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition. The project aims to investigate nutrition risk and factors associated with nutrition risk among preschool children in New Zealand aged between 2 and 5 years old.

Inadequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is associated with a range of health issues including poor growth and development, overweight, obesity and nutrition related disease.  Identifying those most at risk of poor nutrition is the first step to providing interventions and access to services such as Dietitians and other health professionals. This research is investigating nutrition habits of preschool children aged 2 to 5 years old in rural and suburban areas of New Zealand and aims to include a wide range of ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds. The findings of the research may assist with further research and development of nutrition interventions for preschool aged children at highest nutrition risk in New Zealand.

The NutriSTEP Questionnaire has been chosen as the research tool for this study as it is a validated nutrition screening tool specific for preschool aged children aged two to five years old and it has shown significant success in identifying young children with low, medium, or high nutritional risk. The NutriSTEP Questionnaire includes questions on dietary intakes of main food groups (grains, dairy, protein, vegetables, fruit fast food, drinks) and eating behaviours (screen time, eating difficulties, eating patterns, portion sizes, supplements and physical activity).

You have been invited to take part, as a parent, guardian or primary caregiver of a child aged 2-5 years old to ascertain their nutrition risk status. If you choose to take part in this study you will be required to complete an online questionnaire before 15 September 2019. If you would prefer not to take part no explanation is necessary. If you do want to take part, but change your mind later you can exit the study at any time. This Information Sheet is provided to help you to decide whether you would like to take part. It explains why we are doing the study, what your participation involves and any benefits or risks to you and/or your child. Prior to deciding feel free to talk to other people, such as family, whānau, friends, or healthcare providers.  You will be asked if you agree to take part in this study before completing the Questionnaires.

Parents or primary caregivers of preschool aged children will be invited to participate by recruitment through the preschool, kindergarten, or early childhood centre their child attends or through social media, flyers and advertising. Centres that show interest in advertising the study will be emailed, phoned or visited by myself to discuss the involvement of parents/primary caregivers who wish to participate in this research project. Each interested parent or primary caregiver will be given an Information Sheet, and if they decide to go ahead with the study, an electronic Consent Form to complete and submit to the researchers prior to receiving the online questionnaire.
Participant names will not be necessary. Participants will be given an ID number to identify with to ensure privacy and personal information are kept confidential.

- Being a parent/primary caregiver of a preschool child (two to five years old)
- Having lived in New Zealand for the last 5 years
- Be able to read and write in English.

This research project is aiming for the recruitment of around 400 parents. This number will increase the potential for a wide range of ethnicities and cultures living in New Zealand to be represented as equally as possible. It also allows for a statistically significant sample size.

Parents/primary caregivers who consent to be involved in the research are invited to complete an online version of the adapted NutriSTEP Questionnaire and demographics questions about your gender, ethnicity, age, number of children, marital status, income and education. These will be completed as one online questionnaire in Google Forms.

The online questionnaire will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. This is completed on a personal device of the participant’s, at a time that suits the participant.

Each participant’s identity will remain confidential as ID numbers will be used in place of given names. This ensures confidentiality and anonymity through the research process.

A summary of results from the study will be made available to all participants of the study. This information will be sent via email.

You are under no obligation to accept this invitation. If you decide to participate, you have the right to:

• Withdraw from the study at any time;
• Ask any questions about the study at any time during participation;
• Provide information on the understanding that your name will not be used unless you give permission to the  researcher;
• A summary of the project findings when it is concluded;
• Decline to answer any question;
• Choose to stop the Questionnaires and withdraw your consent for and participation in the study. Any answers you supplied will be deleted and not included in the research.

Please contact the researcher at any time if you have any questions about this research project.

Helen Ross
Student Dietitian, Massey University, Albany
Phone: 021 413 578
Email: h.ross@massey.ac.nz

This project has been reviewed and approved by the Massey University Human Ethics Committee: Northern, Application NOR 19/30. If you have any concerns about the conduct of this research, please contact Associate Professor David Tappin (Committee Chair), Massey University Human Ethics Committee: Northern, email humanethicsnorth@massey.ac.nz.

I have read the Information Sheet and have had the details of the study explained to me.  My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I understand that I may ask further questions at any time.

**If you consent to participate, please check the box below and provide your details. You will receive the research questionnaire via email within 24 hours. If you do not consent, please close this form without submitting any details.