ChocHealth for Kids! The effects of dark chocolate on childrens blood pressure
ISRCTN | ISRCTN60409644 |
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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
Scientific
The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Centre for Community Child Health
Flemington Road
Parkville VIC
Parkville
3052
Australia
Study information
Study design | Pilot randomised controlled trial |
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Primary study design | Interventional |
Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
Study setting(s) | Other |
Study type | Quality of life |
Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet |
Scientific title | The effects of dark chocolate on children's blood pressure: a pilot randomised controlled trial |
Study acronym | ChocHealth for Kids! |
Study objectives | The 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) studied | Hypertension |
Intervention | 6 - 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 type | Other |
Primary outcome measure | Measured 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 measures | Measured 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 date | 02/08/2010 |
Completion date | 31/12/2011 |
Eligibility
Participant type(s) | Patient |
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Age group | Child |
Lower age limit | 10 Years |
Upper age limit | 13 Years |
Sex | Both |
Target number of participants | Around 200 students (intervention: 120; control: 80) |
Key inclusion criteria | All Grade 5 and 6 children (aged between 10 - 13 years old, either sex) in participating classes whose parents consent |
Key exclusion criteria | 1. 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 enrolment | 02/08/2010 |
Date of final enrolment | 31/12/2011 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Australia
Study participating centre
The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Parkville
3052
Australia
3052
Australia
Sponsor information
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) (Australia)
Research organisation
Research organisation
Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Flemington Road
Parkville
3052
Australia
Website | http://www.mcri.edu.au |
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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 | |
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Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
IPD sharing plan summary | Not provided at time of registration |
Publication and dissemination plan | Not provided at time of registration |
IPD sharing plan |