ISRCTN - ISRCTN58795797: Prevention of childhood obesity

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims
This is an initial project based on the Health Promoting Schools framework. It focussed on improvement in school policies and environment in healthy eating and active living, health skills improvement among students, parents and teachers. Training, health resources, consultancy service and professional support were provided to the participating schools and families throughout the project period, providing a supportive environment for healthy lifestyle. Families were given knowledge and skills to help with weight control in their children, and schools were encouraged to include the programme and to utilise the resources and professional support provided by the project team.

Who can participate?
106 overweight students and their parents from participating schools in Hong Kong.

What does the study involve?
57 students were randomly selected to participate in the school-based programme with the rest in the waiting list (control group). Students attended several sessions after school and over the weekends that included practical, interactive and fun activities on healthy eating and exercise. Students and parents received a meal plan and tailor-made management advice. Parents received an introductory seminar about exercises for overweight children and follow up sessions on strategies to help weight control for their children.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
In addition to helping the participating students reduce their weight, the project helped the schools to provide a supportive environment for the prevention and management of childhood obesity. There was no significant risk to participants of the study.

Where is the study run from?
This study was run from 6 local primary schools in Hong Kong.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
June 2007 to November 2008.

Who is funding the study?
The study was funded by Health Care Promotion Fund of Food and Health Bureau of Hong Kong SAR Government.

Who is the main contact?
Prof Albert Lee
alee@cuhk.edu.hk

Trial website

Contact information

Type

Scientific

Primary contact

Prof Albert Lee

ORCID ID

Contact details

Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
4/Floor
Lek Yuen Health Centre
Shatin
NA
Hong Kong
+852 (0)2693 3670
alee@cuhk.edu.hk

Additional identifiers

EudraCT number

ClinicalTrials.gov number

Protocol/serial number

SS06838 (CUHK number); Project No.: 20060524 (Health Care Promotion Fund)

Study information

Scientific title

Childhood obesity management shifting from healthcare system to school system: school-based weight management programme

Acronym

Study hypothesis

To evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component school-based weight management programme that aimed to help primary school children with overweight and obesity to achieve the goal of weight control via a home-school joint venture supported by healthcare professionals.

Ethics approval

This project was funded by the Health Care Promotion Fund of the Hong Kong Government Food and Health Bureau. The proposal was approved by the Committee of Health Care Promotion Fund (Project 20060524) based on quality standard of the proposal including ethical standard with membership from government, academics and non-government organisations.

Study design

Randomised controlled trial

Primary study design

Interventional

Secondary study design

Randomised controlled trial

Trial setting

Schools

Trial type

Treatment

Patient information sheet

Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet

Condition

Overweight and obesity of primary care students

Intervention

57 students were randomly selected to participate in the school based programme first with 49 students as wait list control who started the programme. Students attended ten 75-minutes after-school sessions and one 3-hour weekend session of practical, interactive and fun activities on healthy eating and exercise. Students were provided a meal plan at the beginning of the programme together with parents and received printed tailor-made management advices. Parents received an introductory seminar with two sets of specially designed exercise for overweight children and further two 1-hour follow up sessions on skills about healthy eating and exercise strategies to assist weight control for their children.

Intervention type

Behavioural

Phase

Drug names

Primary outcome measure

The primary study outcomes were age- and sex-adjusted BMI (BMI z-score) and body fat percentage. Body weight (to nearest 0.1kg) and body fat percentage (to nearest 0.5%) were measured by bio-impedance body fat scale (Model: TBF-521, Tanita, Japan) with participants lightly clothed and without shoes. Standing height (to the nearest cm) was measured with a portable stadiometer (Model: 214, SECA). Outcome measures were assessed at baseline (T0) before the intervention, and completion of 4-month intervention (T1) to assess the immediate program effectiveness and after a 4-month maintenance period (8 months from baseline, T2) to evaluate the sustainability of the programme.

Secondary outcome measures

Secondary outcomes include self-reported attitude and behavioural variables.
Students completed a set of questionnaire adopted from previous studies specially designed for school children containing a total of 20 items to investigate the attitude towards healthy eating and exercise, dietary behaviour, physical activity participation, self-control, self-perception and weight management practice.
Parents completed a self-administered questionnaire on the general health condition, eating and exercise habit of their children, cooking methods used at home, frequencies of engaging in different activities (such as housework, outings and sports activities) with their children.

Overall trial start date

01/06/2007

Overall trial end date

30/11/2008

Reason abandoned (if study stopped)

Eligibility

Participant inclusion criteria

Overweight and obese students aged between 8 and 12 were recruited from six schools

Participant type

Patient

Age group

Child

Gender

Both

Target number of participants

A total of 106 students were enrolled in the programme

Participant exclusion criteria

Those eligible students who refused to participate

Recruitment start date

01/06/2007

Recruitment end date

30/11/2008

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Hong Kong

Trial participating centre

Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin
NA
Hong Kong

Sponsor information

Organisation

Food and Health Bureau (Hong Kong)

Sponsor type

Government

Website

http://www.fhb.gov.hk/grants/english/funds/funds_hcpf/funds_hcpf_abt/funds_hcpf_abt.html

Funders

Funder type