Background: Children from low-SES and ethnic minority backgrounds are at heightened risk for overweight, yet are underrepresented in the pediatric obesity literature.
Methods: The current paper describes strategies employed to minimize barriers to recruitment and retention of African-American families receiving WIC services in a longitudinal study examining caregiver feeding and child weight.
Results: Seventy-six families enrolled in the study over 3.5 years, and 50% of the families completed the study.
Implications for practice: Despite effortful planning, unanticipated barriers likely contributed to lengthy recruitment and a modest retention rate. Future research should incorporate lessons learned to modify and develop effective strategies for increasing engagement of low-SES and ethnic minority families in research.