ChocHealth for Kids! The effects of dark chocolate on children’s blood pressure

ISRCTN ISRCTN60409644
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN60409644
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
24/07/2010
Registration date
27/09/2010
Last edited
27/09/2010
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Circulatory System
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Prof Melissa Wake
Scientific

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Centre for Community Child Health
Flemington Road
Parkville VIC
Parkville
3052
Australia

Study information

Study designPilot randomised controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleThe effects of dark chocolate on children's blood pressure: a pilot randomised controlled trial
Study acronymChocHealth for Kids!
Study objectivesThe aims of this pilot randomised controlled trial are to:
1. Determine whether a school-based program promoting daily low dose consumption of dark chocolate by healthy Grade 5 and 6 children on school days over 8 weeks could be an acceptable and feasible intervention in Melbourne metropolitan primary schools for reducing blood pressure
2. Identify and fine-tune the easiest and most acceptable methods of delivery
3. Document any barriers in the implementation and uptake of such a program
4. Establish the feasibility of measuring endovascular function by pulse wave analysis using SphygmoCor in schools
5. Estimate variability in blood pressure and conduct preliminary comparisons between the intervention and control groups on key outcomes, both of which will inform sample size estimates for a larger trial should it proceed

We hypothesise that:
1. The intervention will be feasible and acceptable for 10 - 12 year old children, their parents, and their schools
2. At 2 months post-randomisation the intervention group, when compared with the non-intervention group, will show:
2.1. Trends towards a lower mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and
2.2. No difference in the mean body weight, body mass index, body percentage fat or reported health-related quality of life
Ethics approval(s)Human Research and Ethics Committee of the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne approved on the 26th July 2010 (ref: 30049)
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedHypertension
Intervention6 - 7 g of dark chocolate rich in antioxidants will be delivered by teachers to each participant in intervention arm classes on school days over School Term 4, in 2010 (about 8 weeks), and none will be given to participants in control arm classes. Outcome assessments will be performed before and after intervention.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureMeasured at baseline and 8 weeks:
1. Acceptability and feasibility of the study as assessed by recruitment rate and participant
(students and teachers) feedback
2. Blood pressure outcomes between intervention and control groups
Secondary outcome measuresMeasured at baseline and 8 weeks:
1. Anthropometry - weight, height, BMI and waist girth
2. Percentage body fat, as measured by multiple frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
3. Health-related quality of life and body image - assessed through the 23-item PEDS QL 4.0 Child Self-Report, a validated measure of child quality of life, and a pictorial body perception and preference scale used in many of our previous studies
Overall study start date02/08/2010
Completion date31/12/2011

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupChild
Lower age limit10 Years
Upper age limit13 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participantsAround 200 students (intervention: 120; control: 80)
Key inclusion criteriaAll Grade 5 and 6 children (aged between 10 - 13 years old, either sex) in participating classes whose parents consent
Key exclusion criteria1. Hypertension under pharmacological treatment
2. Major medical or developmental condition(s) limiting participation in the study (at the discretion of the research team and child's family)
3. Anaphylaxis to nuts (hazelnut or almond) or dairy in children who carry Epipen(s). Dark chocolate does not contain milk, and we will use varieties that do not contain nuts. However, chocolate manufacturers usually state that their chocolate is manufactured on equipment that is also used for foods that contain nuts and/or milk. Therefore, we think it prudent to exclude children with serious nut or milk allergy.
Date of first enrolment02/08/2010
Date of final enrolment31/12/2011

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Australia

Study participating centre

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Parkville
3052
Australia

Sponsor information

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) (Australia)
Research organisation

Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Flemington Road
Parkville
3052
Australia

Website http://www.mcri.edu.au
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/048fyec77

Funders

Funder type

Hospital/treatment centre

Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (Australia) - Centre for Community Child Health

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan