Healthy Families: Right from the Start (known as HENRY) is for all parents of a child between 0 and 5 years old. It is delivered by family support workers to groups of eight to 10 parents over eight weekly, 2.5-hour sessions. During these sessions, parents learn strategies for implementing and maintaining a healthy diet and increasing family physical activity.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
0 to 5 years old
Group
Healthy Families: Right from the Start (known as HENRY) is for all parents of a child between 0 and 5 years old. HENRY provides parents with strategies for implementing and maintaining a healthy diet and increasing family physical activity.
HENRY is delivered by family support workers to groups of eight to 10 parents over eight weekly, 2.5-hour sessions.
During these sessions, parents are guided as the primary agents of change for their children, covering key topics such as healthy routines, balanced diets, screen time, emotional wellbeing, portion sizes, and positive mealtime strategies. HENRY employs motivational interviewing and a strengths-based, solution-focused approach, encouraging active participation through group discussions, role-play, and small group activities.
Parents also receive a HENRY Healthy Families workbook, which offers practical activities and accessible information to help them implement lasting, positive changes at home. The intervention fosters learning by building on parents’ existing skills and experiences while providing support to create healthier family lifestyles.
0 to 5 years old
Parents with children aged 0 to 5 years old.
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Excess weight in early childhood increases the risk of obesity and diabetes in later childhood and adulthood
Over one-quarter of all children in the UK are currently obese.
Science-based assumption
Family diet and low levels of physical activity increase the risk of childhood obesity and poor physical health.
Science-based assumption
All families can benefit from increased information about a healthy lifestyle.
Intervention
Parents learn strategies for healthy eating and physical exercise that can be incorporated into their daily routines.
Short-term
Parents and children have a better understanding of healthy dietary and activity patterns
Parents and children incorporate healthy diet and physical activities into their daily and weekly family routines.
Medium-term
Children reach and maintain a healthy BMI for their height and age.
Long-term
Healthy eating habits in adulthood
Increased physical activity in adulthood
Reduced obesity risk in childhood and adulthood.
Eligible participants were parents of infants and preschool children who were attending Children’s Centres and interested in participating in an intervention to improve their family’s lifestyle.
HENRY is delivered by family support workers to groups of eight to 10 parents over eight weekly, 2.5-hour sessions.
The topics covered in the eight sessions include: family routines and parenting skills that support a healthy family lifestyle; healthy balanced diet for young children and the whole family; being active; screen time; emotional wellbeing; labels and healthy sugar swaps; portion sizes for under-5s; and happier, calmer mealtimes.
HENRY is delivered by two family support workers.
Practitioners receive 24 hours of intervention training. Booster training of practitioners is not required.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one host-agency supervisor with 24 hours of intervention training.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Organisation: HENRY
Email address: info@henry.org.uk
Websites: https://www.henry.org.uk/
https://www.henry.org.uk/evidence-base
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
HENRY’s most rigorous evidence comes from a pre–post study conducted in the UK.
This study observed statistically significant pre–post intervention increases in the amount of healthy foods consumed by HENRY children. HENRY parents also reported improved parental self-efficacy and ability in setting limits, increased adult happiness about weight, increased adult physical activity (gardening/do-it-yourself) and reduced screen time. There were also improvements in family and adult eating behaviours, as well as frequency of healthy food consumption for adults. There was no comparison group, however.
HENRY has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 4 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 1 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 3 |
| Study design | Pre–post study |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sample characteristics | 71 parents with children between 0 and 5 years old (mean age 3.32 years). |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
|
| Population risk factors | The study involved parents from disadvantaged communities, many of whom were of low socioeconomic status |
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes | Increased frequency of healthy food consumption for children (relevant categories: cooked vegetables; fresh fruit; and baked beans, lentils, chickpeas, soy mince etc.) |
| Other outcomes |
|
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Willis, T. A., George, J., Hunt, C., Roberts, K. P. J., Evans, C. E. L., Brown, R. E. & Rudolf, M. C. J. (2013) Combating child obesity: Impact of HENRY on parenting and family lifestyle. Pediatric Obesity. 9 (5), 339–350. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Bryant, M., Burton, W., Collinson, M., Hartley, S., Tubeuf, S., Roberts, K., … & Farrin, A. J. (2018) Cluster randomised controlled feasibility study of HENRY: A community-based intervention aimed at reducing obesity rates in preschool children. Pilot and Feasibility Studies. 4 (1), 118.
Willis, T. A., Roberts, K. P. J., Berry, T. M., Bryant, M. & Rudolf, M. C. J. (2016) The impact of HENRY on parenting and family lifestyle: A national service evaluation of a preschool obesity prevention programme. Public Health. 136, 101–108.
Davidson, R. (2018) Reducing obesity in pre-school children: Implementation and effectiveness of the HENRY programme, Luton, UK.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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