Healthy Buddies Manitoba

N/ACompletedNCT01979978

University of Manitoba647 enrolled

Overview

School-based interventions are generally ineffective for preventing weight gain in children. In 2007, a group from the University of British Columbia, developed a program called Healthy Buddies, that relied on peer mentors to help young children adopt healthy living behaviours. Pilot studies revealed that the program effectively prevented weight gain in children. This trial had never been tested on a large scale using a more scientifically sound study design. We developed a large school-based randomized trial to overcome that limitation and test the hypothesis that that a school-based peer-led healthy living program would reduce adiposity and increase physical activity among children 6-12yrs old.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

647

Conditions

Healthy Children Elementary School Age Rural and Urban First Nations

Interventions

Healthy Buddies CurriculumOTHER

Each week, intermediate students will receive a 45-minute healthy-living lesson plan from their classroom teacher. Later that week, intermediate students will serve as peer mentors ("Buddies"), teaching a 30-minute lesson to their younger students. The Physical activity (i.e."Go Move!") component of the lesson plans includes 30-minutes of structured aerobic fitness sessions, called fitness loops, with the student pairs twice weekly. The dietary ("Go Fuel!") component includes lessons about distinguishing nutritious and from unhealthy (nutrient poor-energy rich) foods and beverages. The body image ("Go Feel Good!") component, the students are taught to value classmates based on individual traits rather than peer influence.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 7 YearsMax age: 12 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Participating schools need to meet the following eligibility criteria: (1) were within provincial jurisdiction, (2) had a minimum of 200 students per school, (3) offered grades 1 through 6. Exclusion Criteria: * Children will be excluded if consent was not received from parents or if they had a condition that limited participation in physical activity.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Waist circumference

Waist circumference at the top of the iliac crest measured in duplicate with a flexible tape.

Time frame: 10 months

BMI-Z score

Body mass index Z score is calculated from weight/height2 and normalized to population normative data for age (months) and sex.

Time frame: 10 months

Secondary Outcomes

Physical activity

Objectively measured using daily pedometer counts recorded by teachers.

Time frame: 10 months

Healthy living knowledge and behaviours

Questionnaires regarding healthy foods and food frequency.

Time frame: 10 months

Self efficacy

Questionnaire.

Time frame: 10 months

Healthy Buddies Manitoba

Overview

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes