This study is a cluster randomized controlled trial with n=28 City of Philadelphia recreation centers (14 matched pairs) designed to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive multi-level intervention to increase water access and appeal in community recreation centers on 1) center-level water intake as measured by water meters, and 2) purchase of outside beverages as measured by observations of recreation center youth.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
28
Hydrate Philly is a multi-component intervention that includes water safety testing, provision of 1-2 hydration stations per recreation center, distribution of reusable water bottles for youth, a campaign to promote the acceptability of tap water, and the reduction of access to competing unhealthy beverages through vending machine standards and discouraging "black bags" (characteristic small, black, plastic bags provided to customers with their corner store purchases, typically including a sugar sweetened beverage and/or unhealthy snack foods).
Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of Chronic Disease Prevention
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Center water consumption
Change in average gallons of water per day used at the center drinking water source as measured by flow meters over each 2-week measurement period.
Time frame: Three measurement periods, each lasting 2 weeks, will occur: baseline (2-4 months pre-intervention), mid-point (3-5 months post intervention), and post (7-10 months post intervention).
Outside beverages during programs
Changes in the average number of sugary beverages per day brought to summer camp.
Time frame: Three measurement periods, each lasting 2 weeks, will occur: baseline (2-4 months pre-intervention), mid-point (3-5 months post intervention), and post (7-10 months post intervention).
Single use beverage containers
Average number of single use containers (bottled water + sugary beverages) as measured by recreation center staff daily reports
Time frame: Three measurement periods, each lasting 2 weeks, will occur: baseline (2-4 months pre-intervention), mid-point (3-5 months post intervention), and post (7-10 months post intervention).
Staff consumption of sugary beverages
Change in frequency of staff consumption of sugary beverages (i.e., number of days in past 30 days with sugary beverages consumed) as measured by the Beverage Intake Questionnaire (BEVQ-15) survey assessing past 30 day recall of overall beverage intake. Range is 0 - 30 with higher values indicating more days sugary beverages were consumed.
Time frame: Three measurement periods, each lasting 2 weeks, will occur: baseline (2-4 months pre-intervention), mid-point (3-5 months post intervention), and post (7-10 months post intervention).
Fountain related maintenance problems
Average maintenance rating of scale with 8 items (4-point scale; i.e., everyday, 3-4 times, once or twice, or never) at post as measured by staff self-report. Subscales include average routine maintenance (3 items) versus average maintenance problems (5 items).
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Time frame: Questionnaire administered 2-5 times per site up to 8 months post intervention
Center attendance
The number of youth attending the recreation center program daily
Time frame: Three measurement periods, each lasting 2 weeks, will occur: baseline (2-4 months pre-intervention), mid-point (3-5 months post intervention), and post (7-10 months post intervention).