Fangshan Active Nutrition Initiative (FAN)

Research on Weight Management of School-age Children in Fangshan District Based on a Digital Intelligence Platform

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based weight management intervention delivered through a digital platform (WeChat) in preventing excessive weight gain and improving health behaviors in school-aged children in Fangshan District, Beijing. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the intervention group show a significantly lower mean increase in BMI, body fat percentage, and waist circumference compared to the control group? Does the intervention group show a significantly lower obesity rate and new obesity incidence compared to the control group? Does the intervention group show significant improvements in healthy eating, sedentary behavior, sleep, physical activity, and physical fitness test scores compared to the control group? Researchers will compare children in intervention schools (who receive the multi-level intervention targeting students, families, and schools, supported by a digital platform for behavior monitoring and feedback) to children in control schools (who do not receive the intervention during the study period).

Participants in the intervention group will: (1) attend 10 student health education sessions; (2) have their physical activity at school increased to 60 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous activity; (3) have parents attend health education lectures and use a WeChat platform to receive health information, log child health data, and receive automated feedback; (4) have their height, weight, waist circumference, and body composition measured monthly by school health staff; and (5) be followed with assessments at 6, 12, and 24 months.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Childhood Weight Management
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Digital Intelligence Platform-based Multi-level Weight Management

Detailed Description

Study Design This is a two-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) designed to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a multi-level, digital platform-based weight management intervention for school-aged children in Fangshan District, Beijing. The study consists of a 12-month active intervention period followed by an additional 12 months of follow-up, totaling 24 months of observation post-baseline.

Setting and Participants The study will be conducted in 10 primary schools in Fangshan District, Beijing, recruited through the Fangshan District School Health Care Center. Schools will be randomized (1:1 ratio) to either the intervention or control arm. Participants will be third-grade students (aged 8-9 years) at baseline.

Inclusion Criteria: Eligible students must provide signed informed consent from a parent or guardian and their own assent.

Exclusion Criteria: Students with pre-existing medical conditions that contraindicate physical activity or secondary obesity of known endocrine origin will be excluded from the analytic sample but may participate in the general program activities to avoid exclusion-based stigma.

InterventionThe intervention targets three levels-students, families, and schools-over one academic year. A digital platform embedded within WeChat serves as the central hub for knowledge dissemination, behavior monitoring, and automated feedback.

1. Student-level Interventions Health Education: Ten 40-minute classroom sessions delivered every 2-3 weeks, focusing on healthy weight maintenance, reducing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), limiting sedentary behavior, and increasing physical activity. Sessions include interactive "hand-in-hand" homework assignments to be completed with parents.

   Physical Activity Promotion: Targeted daily routines to achieve at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at school, emphasizing outdoor activities and muscle/bone-strengthening exercises.

   Monitoring: Monthly anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference, and body composition) conducted by trained school health staff, supplemented by weekly student self-weighing using classroom scales.

2. Family-level Interventions Parental Education: Two health education seminars per academic year (30-40 minutes each) and optional parent discussion forums to address implementation challenges.

   Digital Engagement: Parents use the WeChat platform to: (a) receive regular push notifications of health education materials, (b) complete monthly behavioral questionnaires (diet, activity, sleep), and (c) view individualized monthly feedback reports comparing their child's BMI and behavioral progress against health standards.

   Home Environment: Encouragement of home-based active play and parental modeling of healthy habits.

3. School-level Interventions Coordination: Designation of a school-level project coordinator to oversee logistics.

Environmental Changes: Integration of health sessions into the formal timetable and implementation of policies to limit the availability and consumption of SSBs and unhealthy snacks on campus.

Atmosphere: Classroom-based health promotion materials (e.g., posters, food environment labeling) and professional development for involved teachers.

Control Group Control schools will maintain their usual curriculum during the 12-month intervention period. Following the 24-month follow-up assessment, control schools will be provided with the intervention curriculum and relevant health education resources as an ethical cross-over.

Follow-Up and Data Collection Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months. Anthropometric & Clinical: Height, weight, waist/hip circumference, blood pressure, and body fat percentage (via bioelectrical impedance analysis).

Physical Fitness: 1-minute rope skipping, 1-minute sit-ups, standing long jump, and endurance shuttle runs.

Questionnaires: Validated tools for students and parents assessing dietary habits, physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep quality.

Statistical Analysis and Sample Size Sample Size: Assuming a mean BMI reduction of 0.50 kg/m2 (SD: 1.40kg/m2), an intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.03, and a two-sided significance level of 0.05. Accounting for a 10% attrition rate, a total of 135 students per school is required. With 10 schools (4 classes per school, approximately 35 students per class), the study targets a total sample of approximately 1,400 students, achieving 80% power.

Evaluation: Mixed-effects models will be used to analyze primary and secondary outcomes, accounting for school-level clustering and repeated measures.

Ethical Considerations The protocol and all materials have been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Peking University Health Science Center. Participation is strictly voluntary. Personal data will be anonymized, and protocols include specific measures to avoid weight-based stigma and ensure privacy during physical assessments.

Study Timeline Recruitment & Baseline: March 2026 Active Intervention: March 2026 - March 2027 Follow-up Assessments: September 2026 (6m), March 2027 (12m), and March 2028 (24m) Analysis & Publication: March 2027 - June 2028

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 1400
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Chunjie Yin, PhD; Phone Number: +86 15652217112; Email: yinchunjie@bjmu.edu.cn

Study Locations

• China
  • Beijing, China
    • Peking University Health Science Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Schools will be selected based on the consent of primary leadership, demonstrated cooperation, and availability of necessary personnel (e.g., school health professionals).
• Classes will be limited to grades 2 and 3, with teachers showing strong willingness to collaborate.
• Both parental informed consent and child assent are required for participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Schools will be excluded if they cater to special populations (e.g., schools for children with disabilities), are involved in other obesity-related interventions within the specified timeframe, or plan to close or relocate within two years.
• Children will be excluded if they have histories of major organ diseases (e.g., cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic, or renal conditions), special diets (e.g., vegetarian), pathological eating disorders, physical limitations affecting activity, or obesity due to endocrine disorders or medication side effects.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: A multi-level collaborative intervention; Participants in this arm will receive a 12-month multi-level weight management intervention delivered via a digital intelligence platform (embedded in WeChat). The intervention targets three levels: Student level: 10 bi-weekly health education sessions and daily promotion of 60-minute moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Family level: Two parental seminars and access to the digital platform for health education "push" notifications, behavioral monitoring (diet, sleep, activity), and automated monthly BMI feedback reports. School level: Environmental changes including healthy school policies (limiting sugar-sweetened beverages), health promotion materials (posters), and teacher training. Monthly anthropometric measurements and weekly self-weighing will be conducted to monitor progress.	Behavioral: Digital Intelligence Platform-based Multi-level Weight Management; This multi-level behavioral intervention integrates digital technology with school-based health promotion to address childhood obesity. Key components include: Digital Hub: A WeChat-embedded platform for real-time behavior monitoring (diet, physical activity, sleep) and automated monthly feedback reports for parents. Structured Curriculum: Ten 40-minute health education sessions for students delivered every 2-3 weeks, complemented by interactive "hand-in-hand" homework assignments. Physical Activity: Daily school-based promotion to ensure ≥60 minutes of MVPA, emphasizing outdoor and resistance exercises. Environmental Policy: Implementation of school-wide restrictions on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and unhealthy snacks. Parental Engagement: Two dedicated health seminars and regular push notifications of evidence-based health tips via the digital platform. The intervention is distinguished by its multi-sectoral approach (connecting students, parents, and school staff) and it
No Intervention: usual-care control; Participants in this arm will follow the standard school curriculum and health education as mandated by the local education authority. They will not have access to the digital weight management platform or the specific intervention modules during the 12-month active study period. To ensure ethical standards, control schools will receive the intervention materials and resources after the completion of the 24-month follow-up assessment (wait-list control design). Baseline and follow-up data collection (anthropometric measurements and questionnaires) will be conducted at the same intervals as the intervention group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Children's BMl change	Calculated based on height and weight using WHO standards. The primary outcome is the difference between two arms in the change of children's BMI from baseline to the end of the follow-up	at the end of the 12-month intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Children's Eating Behaviors	Assessed using the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBO), measuring dimensions such as food responsiveness satiety responsiveness, and emotional eating	at the end of the 12-month intervention
Prevalence of Obesity among School-aged Children	The percentage of students classified as obese based on Age- and Sex-specific Body Mass Index (BMI) criteria.	at the end of the 12-month intervention; at 24-month follow-up
Body Mass Index Z-score(BMI-z)	The BMI-z score is calculated based on height and weight using WHO standards	at the end of the 12-month intervention; at 24-month follow-up
Waist Circumference	Waist circumference is measured at the midpoint between the lower margin of the last palpable rib and the top of the iliac crest to evaluate central adiposity	at the end of the 12-month intervention; at 24-month follow-up
Time Spent in Physical Activity	Evaluated using the Children's Leisure Activities Study Survey (CLAss), assessing the amount and type of physical activity and sedentary behavior, including screen time	at the end of the 12-month intervention
Time Spent in Sedentary Behavior	Evaluated using the chidren's Leisure Activities Study survey (CLAss), assessing the amount and type of physical activity and sedentary behavior,includingscreen time.	at the end of the 12-month interventionl
body fat percent (BFP)	BFP were measured via bioelectrical impedance analysis (Tanita MC 780 MA)	at the end of the 12-month intervention; at 24-month follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Peking University
• Collaborators: Beijing Municipal Education Commission
• Investigators: Study Chair: Hui Wang, Peking University Health Science Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 20, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 2, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 2, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 12, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Obesity; Children; Overweight; Intervention; School-aged
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nutrition Disorders; Overnutrition; Body Weight; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Overweight; Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB00001052-25212

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No