Frequency Needed for School-based Obesity Intervention

University of Houston243 enrolled

Overview

This randomized controlled trial compared changes in Mexican-American, adolescent standardized body mass index (zBMI) from a school-based obesity intervention given zero, one, three, or five days a week.

Efficacious school-based interventions have been intensive making it difficult for interventions to be scaled. The more components there are to an intervention, typically the better the results. Instead of decreasing intensity via the removal of intervention components, this randomized controlled trial aimed to compare changes in Mexican-American adolescent standardized body mass index (zBMI) based on the number of days per week they received a multi-component intervention. Mexican-American middle school students (n=203) with overweight or obesity were recruited from an independent school district in Houston. Students were randomized to receive an obesity intervention with established efficacy zero (control), one, three, or five days/week. In each condition, 80% of intervention time was allocated to physical activity and 20% to nutrition. Directly measured height and weight were used to calculate zBMI.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

243

Conditions

Obesity, Child

Interventions

School-Based Obesity Intervention (FLOW)BEHAVIORAL

The intervention consisted of nutrition lessons based on the traffic light diet, circuit-based physical activity, behavior modification techniques (token economy system, goal setting, self-monitoring), and parental involvement (materials sent home and monthly parent meetings). 80% of time was spent on physical activity and 20% was spent on nutrition. Behavior modification was incorporated into both physical activity and nutrition time. Specifically, instruction and activity time during PE class lasted approximately 40 minutes.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 10 YearsMax age: 17 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. BMI-for-age (Body Mass Index) percentile ≥ 85 2. Male or female between ages 10 - 17 years 3. Self-identified as Mexican-American Exclusion Criteria: 1. Student who is pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or becomes pregnant 2. School report of cognitive impairment significantly below average age and/or grade level 3. Use of any weight-loss medication (prescription or nonprescription) for at least 6 months prior to screening 4. Type 1 or 2 diabetes medical diagnosis

Locations (1)

YES Prep Brays Oaks

Houston, Texas, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Standardized Body Mass Index (zBMI)

standardized body mass index

Time frame: baseline, 6, and 12 months

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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