The Halland Obesity Municipal Effort for Children

A retrospective study to investigate the method called The Halland Obesity Municipal Effort for children. All children participating in the intervention since the start of this specific method will be eligible for inclusion. The aims are to describe participants and the method-specific activities they are participating in, as well as the effect on their health and school grades.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hypertension; Physical Activity; BMI; Childhood Obesity; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Physical Inactivity
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: The Halland Obesity Municipal Effort for children

Detailed Description

This method involves the entire municipal community in Laholm and Kungsbacka (two cities in Sweden): Pediatric care unit, Child Psychiatry, Social services, School healthcare, private companies, and local sports clubs. The model includes group activities and individual activities and offer 15 different health promoting and free activities per week.

All activities are modified and take place in a safe environment. The activities range from golf, riding, gym training, swimming, fishing, art classes, karate, dance classes, and the possibility for the child to get a grade in Physical Education through a specific collaboration with the local schools in the municipality.

The children are given a fruit at each activity and cooking classes are frequently given. The municipal activity coordinator who is responsible uses different methods such as KASAM, Health Action Model and Empowerment to help each child develop skills in self-monitoring, goal setting, problem solving, contingent reward systems, and stimulus control. Parents are given a specific support program called COPE, Community Parent Education. Some activities include the whole family.

In addition to the weekly activities, the activities are also always given on school holidays and weekends when children are known to be less active.

This study will investigate this method by focusing on BMI, metabolic control, blood pressure, level of physical activity, age, sex, the existence of comorbidities, presence of neurodevelopmental disorders, school related issues, involvement of social services, need of grades in Physical Education and help to learn how to swim, which activities the children were undertaking as well as the frequency of participation. The proportion of children achieving full 12 years of education will also be investigated.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 141

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Sweden
  • Särö, Sweden, 42943
    • Lovisa Sjögren

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 5 years to 21 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Children aged 5-21 that were followed at a pediatric clinic for obesity and with complicating factors such as comorbidity, socioeconomic vulnerability, lonliness and problematic school absenteeism.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients involved in the HOME project since the start. Children that have been offered this intense intervention.

Exclusion Criteria: Those who are not willing to participate.

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Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Retrospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
12 years completed education	Registry data regarding completion of 12 school years, will be assessed for each patients at the age of 19.	At the age of 19.
Change from baseline in BMI after 6 month	BMI (weight/height^2), obtained from health records at interventions start and after 6 months of intervention.	Baseline and month 6.
Change from baseline in BMI after 12 month	BMI (weight/height^2), obtained from health records at interventions start and after one year of intervention.	Baseline and month 12.
Change from baseline in BMI after 18 months	BMI (weight/height^2), obtained from health records at interventions start and after 18 months of intervention.	Baseline and month 18.
Change from baseline in gucose homeostasis	Blood samples concerning blood sugar levels (HbA1c, fasting glucose, insulin). Obtained from health records at interventions start and after one year of intervention.	Baseline and month 12.
Change from baseline in blood pressure	Blood pressure (mm/Hg) measured in right arm sitting down after 5 minutes of rest. Obtained from health records at interventions start and after one year of intervention.	Baseline and month 12.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Göteborg University
• Collaborators: Region Halland
• Investigators: Study Chair: Josefine Roswall, MD, PhD, Region Halland

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 10, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 22, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 23, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): February 24, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 13, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2025
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Nutrition Disorders; Overnutrition; Body Weight; Overweight; Obesity; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Pediatric Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: 4294300

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No