iCOOK: a 4-H program to prevent childhood obesity by teaching children and parents to cook together, eat together, and play together
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN54135351 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN54135351 |
| Protocol serial number | 1305044336R003 |
| Sponsor | West Virginia University |
| Funder | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
- Submission date
- 03/01/2018
- Registration date
- 11/01/2018
- Last edited
- 16/09/2019
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Childhood obesity is a growing concern. Body mass index is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. iCook 4-H follows a multifaceted family intervention model to approach childhood obesity prevention from three distinct, yet complementary, perspectives: cooking together, eating together, and playing together. At the core of iCook 4-H’s mission is its innovative concept of bringing parents and children together to work toward a healthier lifestyle as a team. In its curriculum, the program uses Social Cognitive Theory, a learn by watching model, and the Experiential 4-H Learning Model, centered around a trifecta of doing, reflecting, and applying. Existing 4-H curricula, including Fast Foods and Youth in Motion, were adapted and utilized as resources for the program. Children are introduced to basic knife skills, recipe following, family play time opportunities, and the importance of family meals in their daily routine. Additionally, participants learn how to create well-balanced meals. Parents gain valuable information about meal planning and preparation to promote healthy and more frequent family meals. Altogether, iCook 4-H is a 5-year project for a dyad (parent-child) model. The aim of this study is to positively impact the body mass index score of children through education and training.
Who can participate?
Youth aged 9 to 10 years old and their adult primary meal preparer.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups. Those in first group engage in classes that are designed to increase competency in cooking skills, family meal times, and physical activity. Those in the second group receive no education or training. Measurements, including child body mass index and adult and child surveys, are assessed at the start and at four, 12, and 24 months after completing the study.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits to participating in the study: both children and adults will gain knowledge and experience to improve culinary skills, child feeding practices, family meal times, and physical activity. Participation in this study will help to assist in creating healthier habits and environment for children. Potential to improve culinary skills and family time as well as the prevention of weight gain and chronic disease. There are some risks in learning to use culinary tools, but part of the skills are to learn how to use these tools safely and can be used for a lifetime of healthy meal preparation.
Where is the study run from?
This study is being run by the West Virginia University (USA) and takes place in Universities in the USA.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
July 2012 to July 2018
Who is funding the study?
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USA)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Melissa Olfert
Contact information
Public
West Virginia University
Lifestyle Intervention Olfert Research Lab
G25 Agricultural Sciences Building
333 Evansdale Drive
Morgantown
26506
United States of America
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | A multi-site randomised controlled interventional study |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | iCOOK: A 4-H program to promote culinary skills and family meals for obesity prevention |
| Study objectives | A 24-month intervention study, based on building foundational skills for competency in culinary skills, family meal times, and physical activity, will positively impact the body mass index (BMI) Z scores of children compared to a control condition at 4, 12, and 24 months. |
| Ethics approval(s) | The Internal Review Board at West Virginia University, 01/02/2011, ref: 1305044336R003 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Childhood obesity prevention |
| Intervention | 9-10-year-old youth (and the adult primary meal preparer) are randomly assigned to either the control arm (no treatment) or the intervention arm. In the intervention group, child and parent dyads participate in 8 two-hour instructional and hands-pn classes focused on culinary skills, family meal times, and physical activity. These classes are conducted by trained researchers. The goal of these classes is to teach obesity prevention habits to both parents and children. In the control group, the child and parent dyads receive no education or training. Outcome measures are taken at baseline and 4, 12, and 24 months follow up. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Body mass index (BMI) z scores of children are assessed with height and weight measurements at baseline, 4, 12 and 24 months. |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
1. Dietary quality is measured using surveys at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 months |
| Completion date | 26/07/2018 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Mixed |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 500 |
| Total final enrolment | 228 |
| Key inclusion criteria | Youth aged 9 to 10 years old and the adult primary meal preparer. |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Any kind of food allergy or sensitivity 2. Physical or medical limitations 3. No home internet 4. No parent willing to participate 5. Unwilling to eat meat or dairy |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/09/2013 |
| Date of final enrolment | 01/09/2015 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United States of America
Study participating centres
United States of America
United States of America
United States of America
United States of America
United States of America
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from Dr. Melissa Olfert (Melissa.olfert@mail.wvu.edu). |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 29/08/2019 | 16/09/2019 | Yes | No |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
16/09/2019: Publication reference and total final enrolment added.
