LifeLab Southampton: improving health behaviours in teenagers
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN71951436 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN71951436 |
| Protocol serial number | N/A |
| Sponsor | University of Southampton |
| Funder | British Heart Foundation |
- Submission date
- 10/02/2015
- Registration date
- 25/03/2015
- Last edited
- 06/05/2021
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Circulatory System
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
There is increasing scientific evidence that a healthy lifestyle at an early age can have profound consequences on our long-term health, and on the health of our future children - a message that we need to get across to teenagers before they have children of their own. As many young people have never been inside a hospital or visited a research laboratory, such an experience can make a great impression. Over the past 5 years, the LifeLab project at the University of Southampton (UK) has established an educational programme for 11–15 year olds, focusing on developing their understanding of the science underpinning non-communicable disease risk in themselves and their future children. Our initial studies have shown changes in their attitudes and health-related behaviours 6–12 months later. The aim in this study is to assess the effectiveness of this intervention, in this age group, in producing attitude and behaviour change over 12 months.
Who can participate?
Secondary schools in and around Hampshire (UK) will be approached via contact with the Head of Science to offer the opportunity to be involved.
What does the study involve?
Our LifeLab intervention with school students has been tried and tested by the same project team over 5 years. It consists of curriculum-linked modules designed for 11–15 year olds, integrated with school science programmes and focusing on non-communicable disease risk and relevant science and health concepts. Key to this approach is hands-on visits to dedicated laboratories in a university/hospital research setting. Schools will be randomly allocated to the intervention or control group. We will compare control and intervention groups by matched pre-intervention and post-intervention validated questionnaires, to measure change in knowledge, attitude and behaviour in adolescents and their families. The control schools will only take part in the completion of questionnaires. Within each intervention school, three Year 9 classes of about 30 students each will be chosen for the intervention. The intervention will consist of the following components: a 4–6 week module of work for use in Year 9; teacher professional development workshops relating to science and science education relevant to implementation of the modules and including access to online support materials that describe the underpinning science; a single day (5 hour) LifeLab hands-on programme, conducted within the setting of a customised hospital research laboratory, held part way through the module of work. Students interact with real stories of science and current data, meet in small groups with scientists, and experience first-hand activities utilising resources not available in a school laboratory. Examples of these activities include taking various physiology measurements (grip strength, jump height, flexibility, peak flow), measurement of arterial blood-flow and carotid artery wall thickness, and extraction of their own DNA to explore the effect of lifestyle on gene expression. These are all non-invasive activities.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
This project will give school students a greater awareness of their own health and the health of teenagers in and around Southampton. Students and teachers will have the opportunity to take part in activities using equipment generally not available at school, to interact with scientists at the University and hospital and to find out more about the research taking place in the city. The activities are not associated with more risk than are those done in the normal science classroom at school; the activities are all completely safe and non-invasive. None of the activities will be testing for any specific health disorders. They are designed only as an educational tool. LifeLab teachers are not medically trained and will not be making any medical assessments based on the results the students find. Students will not be made to do any tests they do not wish to and may withdraw from any activities at any time; no results will be recorded.
Where is the study run from?
University of Southampton (UK).
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
November 2014 to November 2018
Who is funding the study?
British Heart Foundation (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Kathryn Woods-Townsend
k.woods-townsend@soton.ac.uk
Contact information
Public
LifeLab
Mailpoint 847
Level D, Room LD150
National Institute of Health Research Southampton Biomedical Research Centre
South Lab and Path Block
Southampton General Hospital
Southampton
SO16 6YD
United Kingdom
 ORCID ID |
0000-0003-3376-6988 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +44 (0)23 8120 8979 |
| k.woods-townsend@soton.ac.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Single-centre interventional cluster randomised trial |
| Secondary study design | Cluster randomised trial |
| Scientific title | Assessment of LifeLab Southampton: a cluster randomised trial of an intervention to engage secondary school students in improving their health behaviours and increasing their interest in science |
| Study objectives | Does an educational intervention in the form of LifeLab improve school students’: 1. Science and health literacy and ability to use CPR techniques? 2. Health behaviours with respect to diet and lifestyle? 3. Understanding of the long-term influences of their health behaviours on their subsequent cardiovascular health and that of their future children? 4. Self-efficacy in relation to diet and lifestyle? |
| Ethics approval(s) | Research Governance Office, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences Ethics Committee, 07/11/2014, Ethics Committee identification RGO12328 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Risk reduction of non-communicable diseases, with a focus on cardiovascular disease |
| Intervention | The intervention arm comprises: 1. Professional development for the teachers 2. Baseline questionnaires for all participating students 3. A 2–3 week module of work for use with year 9 school students (age 13–14 years old), linked to the UK National Curriculum encompassing both pre-lessons and post-lessons to be delivered in school 4. A hands-on practical day visit to LifeLab in the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (UK) in nutrition, held part way through the module 5. Post questionnaires delivered around 12 months after the baseline questionnaires The control arm comprises: 1. Baseline questionnaires for year 9 students 2. Follow-up questionnaires for year 9 students, delivered around 12 months after the baseline questionnaires |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Nutrition and lifestyle literacy based on the critical nutrition literacy scale developed by Guttersrud et al, adapted for use by teenagers and supplemented with broader lifestyle questions |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
Students’ understanding of influences on their |
| Completion date | 10/11/2018 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Child |
| Lower age limit | 13 Years |
| Upper age limit | 14 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 90 |
| Total final enrolment | 3119 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Registered on roll at participating school (all state secondary schools in the region are eligible for inclusion) 2. Year 9 student (aged 13–14 years) 3. Middle ability science student (teacher's classification) |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. School has participated in the LifeLab programme in the previous year 2. Student has attended LifeLab as part of a previous class trip |
| Date of first enrolment | 10/11/2014 |
| Date of final enrolment | 23/07/2015 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
Study participating centre
Southampton General Hospital
Southampton
SO16 6YD
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | Yes |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Available on request |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | 05/05/2021 | 06/05/2021 | Yes | No | |
| Protocol article | protocol | 21/08/2015 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
06/05/2021: Publication reference added.
08/04/2020: A poster link has been added to the publication and dissemination plan.
20/06/2019: The total final enrolment was added.
