School and Family-Based Obesity Prevention for Children

January 8, 2016 updated by: Stanford University
To conduct an integrated, multiple-component, school- and community-based intervention targeting both primary and secondary prevention of obesity among third-fourth-and fifth-graders ("School- and Family-Based Obesity Prevention for Children").

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND:

An estimated 25-40 percent of United States pre-adolescents and adolescents are obese. Higher rates have been noted among minority youth. Onset of obesity in late childhood and early adolescence is associated with increased risks of "tracking" of obesity into adulthood, subsequent obesity-related morbidity and mortality, and obesity- related psychosocial morbidity. However, there is limited ability to accurately identify those children who will become obese adults and those who will suffer obesity-related morbidities, Existing treatments for child and adolescent obesity have yielded modest, unsustained effects, and single-component prevention interventions have been relatively ineffective.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

The intervention model was derived from principles of Bandura's social cognitive theory, and included activities in the school, and the home, and a clinically oriented component for high-risk children. The school component included: a computer-based classroom curriculum; a physical education curriculum; and a school lunch intervention. The home component included correspondence materials and a videotape for parents. Children identified as "high risk" were eligible to enroll in an intensive intervention. In addition, several innovative approaches were included: interventions to influence food preferences and television viewing, interventions promoting health advocacy, and computer-assisted instruction.

An "efficacy trial" evaluated the three-year intervention in a cohort of approximately 1200 3rd graders, in 14 ethnically diverse elementary schools, with follow-up in the 6th grade. 7 schools were randomly assigned to the comprehensive intervention, and 7 schools received an attention-placebo classroom curriculum. Anthropometric measures and assessments of food preferences, cardio-respiratory fitness and self-reported behavior, attitudes and knowledge occurred every six months. Parent interviews occurred annually. Although a careful assessment of effects on parents and the schools was conducted, the crucial question was whether the overall intervention had an impact on student adiposity and behaviors.

The primary objective was to significantly reduce the prevalence of obesity, compared to controls, at the end of the three year intervention. Secondary objectives included maintenance of effects at 6-month follow-up, reducing obesity among high-risk children, improving cardio-respiratory fitness, increasing physical activity, decreasing sedentary activity, reducing the prevalence of unhealthful weight control methods, and improving knowledge, attitudes and perceived self-efficacy regarding the adoption of healthful behaviors. In addition, the investigators identified personal, behavioral and environmental (including family) factors prospectively associated with development of obesity, maintenance of normal weight, weight reduction among overweight children and obesity-related behaviors. Finally, they examined longitudinal changes in height, weight, body mass index (BMI), triceps skin fold thickness, and waist and hip circumferences in girls and boys 8 - 12 years of age, with respect to stages of pubertal development.

Study Type

Observational

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

8 years to 12 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

No eligibility criteria

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

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Publications and helpful links

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General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

April 1, 1996

Study Completion

March 1, 2001

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 25, 2000

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 25, 2000

First Posted (Estimate)

May 26, 2000

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

January 12, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 8, 2016

Last Verified

July 1, 2001

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 5078
  • R01HL054102 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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