Our 14-week Happy Family, Healthy Kids program is an innovative, intergenerational initiative designed to reduce the high prevalence of childhood and adult obesity and food insecurity across both urban and rural areas of Michigan. What sets this program apart is its life stress management component, which directly addresses parental emotional eating—a known barrier to healthy family food practices. Parents are coached on creating happy, healthy eating routines at home that empower their children to build sustainable habits for a lifetime of wellness.
Program components:
Parent Facebook-Based Program. A private, moderated online community that delivers weekly guidance, motivation, and support for implementing healthy changes at home.
Parent Meetings. Live virtual sessions that offer hands-on learning, stress management strategies, and peer support.
“Eat My ABCs” Child Curriculum. A fun and age-appropriate classroom curriculum that teaches children mindful eating and nutrition basics.
Child Letters to Parents. Weekly take-home messages that connect classroom lessons to home, encouraging healthy dialogue and shared experiences between children and parents.
Publications:
Ling, J., Chen, S., Zhang, N., Robbins, L. B., & Kerver, J. M. (2024 Jan.). Happy Family, Healthy Kids: A healthy eating and stress management program in low-income parent-preschooler dyads. Nursing Research, 73(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNR.0000000000000697
Chen, S., Ling, J., Buhlman, R., Tadavich S., & Kao T.-S. A. (2025 Mar.). Acceptability and satisfaction of a mindfulness-based healthy eating and stress management program targeting economically marginalized families in a pilot trial. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, jsaf010. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsaf010
Ling, J., Miller, A. L., Robbins, L. B., & Zhang, N. (2024 Jun.). Elevated parent and child hair cortisol moderated the efficacy of a mindful eating intervention. Stress and Health, 40(3), e3333. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3333
Ling, J., Goodwin, D., & Given, C. (2024 Nov.). Sociodemographic factors are related to hair sample collection in economically marginalized families. Future Science OA, 10(1), 2420561. https://doi.org/10.1080/20565623.2024.2420561
Ling, J., Chen, S., & Marina, M. (2024 Sep.). Coping strategies mediated the relationship between perceived stress and hair cortisol among socioeconomically marginalized parents. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 12(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2024.2399211
Presentations:
Buhlman, R., Tadavich, S., Kao, T-S. A., Chen, S., & Ling, J. (2025, March 26-29). Acceptance and satisfaction of a healthy eating and stress management program targeting economically marginalized preschoolers and families [Poster Presentation, 3rd Place Presentation Award]. Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) 49th Annual Research Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Ling, J., & Robbins, L. B. (2024, February 28-March 02). Elevated parent and child hair cortisol moderated the efficacy of a mindful eating intervention [Podium Presentation]. Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) 48th Annual Research Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ling, J., & Robbins, L. B. (2023, October 14-17). Happy Family, Healthy Kids: A healthy eating and stress management program in low-income families [Poster Presentation]. The Obesity Society Annual Meeting, Dallas, Texas.
Robbins, L. B., Ling, J., & Kerver, J. (2022, October 27-29). Happy Family, Healthy Kids: Promoting healthy eating among low-income families [Poster Presentation]. American Academy of Nursing 2022 Health Policy Conference, Washington DC.
Kaur, A., & Ling, J. (2024, April 12). Effects of the ‘Happy Family, Healthy Kids” intervention on improving preschoolers’ dietary intake and anthropometrics [Poster Presentation]. University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
Marina, M., & Ling, J. (2024, April 12). We all have stress, but how is it coped with? [Poster Presentation]. University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
Buhlman, R., Tadavich, S., & Ling, J. (2024, March 11). Satisfaction evaluation on the Happy Family, Healthy Kids intervention [Poster Presentation]. Michigan State University College of Nursing Research Day, East Lansing, Michigan.