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Health BehaviorNCT04743531

Healthy Environments Study (HEROs)

A study testing HEROs in people with Health Behavior and Childhood Obesity, run by Colorado State University at 2 sites in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Obesity is a multi-dimensional problem that has roots in infancy and tracks into adulthood. Obesity is represented disproportionately among children and families from low socioeconomic and minority backgrounds, particularly in rural areas that have limited access to food, activity, and health-related services. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 3 to 5 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Health Behavior, Childhood Obesity
What is being tested?
HEROs
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
35 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
1 Sep 2019to 30 Sep 2020
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 3 to 5 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Adults who identify as the primary caregiver of a child enrolled in a Head Start or preschool center ;
  • Caregivers who report their child is without disability, illness, or disorder that would significantly affect dietary or activity behaviors (e.g., diabetes, cerebral palsy);
  • Participants who communicate in either English or Spanish language.

Who cannot join

  • Caregivers with children who have a disability, illness, or disorder that would significantly affect dietary or activity behaviors.

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Aurora, Colorado, 80045

  • Colorado State University

    Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Bridging Home and Preschool Environments to Promote Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors and Prevent Obesity in Early Childhood

Obesity is a multi-dimensional problem that has roots in infancy and tracks into adulthood. Obesity is represented disproportionately among children and families from low socioeconomic and minority backgrounds, particularly in rural areas that have limited access to food, activity, and health-related services. There is a need for culturally-tailored, effective interventions that can positively impact the environments (home, preschool, community) in which young children grow and develop their eating and activity behaviors. Developing family interventions, particularly for families with limited resources, requires improving caregivers' health literacy and home food/activity environments, and also requires tailoring to accommodate the realities of stressful and unpredictable family settings. The overall objective of this proposed HEROs Study (HEalthy EnviROnments Study) is to develop a companion, technology-based, interactive family intervention that will promote healthy lifestyles for young children in both Head Start and family settings.

Read the detailed description

This intervention study will test the impact of the intervention through a quasi-experimental staggered implementation pilot design. The aims will test whether the implementation of a parent-child interaction intervention, focusing on eating and activity behaviors, will improve children's eating behaviors, motor performance and parent-child interactions in these domains. This project seeks to answer the following research questions:

  1. Do children participating in the family-based intervention demonstrate enhanced PA and eating behaviors?
  • Hypothesis 1.1: Children receiving the family-based intervention will have higher PA levels and enhanced motor skills compared to children in the control group.
  • Hypothesis 1.2: Children receiving the family-based intervention will demonstrate enhanced eating behaviors compared to children in the control group.
  1. Can the home environment be improved by parents' self-monitoring of food availability and electronic devices; and the application of mindful parenting strategies?
  • Hypothesis 2.1: Evaluation of food items in the home and electronic devices in the child's bedroom will demonstrate a more positive home environment of participants receiving the family-based HEROs intervention.
  • Hypothesis 2.2: Parents will report more positive parent-child interactions after receiving the family-based HEROs intervention.
Being tested
HEROs
Keywords
Early Childhood, Mindful Parenting, Family Intervention, Picky Eating, Motor Development, Diet Quality, Physical Activity
Medical subject headings
Health Behavior, Pediatric Obesity, Food Fussiness, Motor Activity

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • HEROsBehavioural

    Intervention Description: The intervention will consist of a 6-week family workshop series, held one evening per week for six consecutive weeks. The intervention modules will be delivered by trained researchers at two preschool sites in rural Colorado in Fall 2019 and Spring 2020. The primary caregiver and preschool child will be the targets of the study. Each of the workshops will be structured to include joint caregiver-child activities and programming that is tailored for caregivers and children individually. Caregivers will learn about and engage in activities related to healthy eating and picky eating; physical activity and motor development; and parenting strategies. Children will participate in activities focused on healthful eating and physical activity that supports content their parents are learning.

Study groups in NCT04743531
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
InterventionExperimentalFamilies living in rural Colorado will participate in the HEROs intervention in Fall 2019.
Receives: Behavioral: HEROs
Staggered InterventionExperimentalFamilies in the staggered intervention arm will serve as controls for the first intervention arm during Fall 2019. Families the staggered intervention arm will then participate in the HEROs intervention in Spring 2020.
Receives: Behavioral: HEROs

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in children's diet behaviors

    The Healthy Kids (HK) survey (Townsend et al 2018) examines 23 behaviors in the child's family environment to identify nutrition, activity, and child feeding factors associated with pediatric obesity in low-income populations. Survey responses will be coded using 4 response options per item (4=most healthful; 1=least healthful). Items will be summed into 6 subscales: vegetables, sweetened beverages, activity (screen and physical activity), snacking, energy density, and BMI.

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

  2. Change in children's gross motor skill scores

    The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) will be used to assess child's motor skill competence. The TGMD-2 assesses 12 skills: run, gallop, hop, leap, horizontal jump, slide (locomotor skills); and striking a stationary ball, stationary dribble, kick, catch, overhand throw, and underhand roll (object control skills). A research team member will demonstrate the proficient technique to the child, then the child will be asked to perform the skill twice. Researchers will score each attempt to perform the skill based on set criteria (Logan et al 2011).

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

  3. Change in children's physical activity levels

    Children's physical activity levels will be assessed using the cumulative time in sedentary and moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Data will be collected using the ActiGraph GT9X accelerometer, which participants will be asked to wear for 7 days during each data collection period (baseline, follow up at month 2, follow up at month 4). Sedentary and MVPA cut points for children will be used to measure of the mean amplitude deviation of acceleration [Vaha-Ypya 2015].

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

  4. Change in children's willingness to try new foods

    Children's willingness to try new foods will be conducted using a Tasting Panel, a food preference assessment, with each child. The child will be asked to taste 8 foods in a self-selected order. This panel includes sweet and savory foods, fruits, vegetables, and protein. After tasting a food, children will be asked to place the food in front of one of 3 cartoon faces that best describes how they think the food tasted: a smiling face (yummy), a neutral face (just ok), or a frowning face (yucky). Refusals to taste a food will be recorded [Johnson et al 2019].

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Change in child BMI

    Children's weight (measured on a digital scale) and height (measured using a portable stadiometer) will be used to determine a BMI using the CDC standardized growth curves.

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

  2. Change in caregivers' physical activity levels

    Caregivers' physical activity levels will be assessed using the cumulative time in sedentary and moderate and vigorous physical activity. Data will be collected using the ActiGraph GT9X accelerometer, which participants will be asked to wear for 7 days during each data collection period (baseline, follow up at month 2, follow up at month 4). Sedentary and MVPA cut points for children will be used to measure of the mean amplitude deviation of acceleration [Vaha-Ypya 2015].

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

  3. Change in parent-child feeding practices

    The Food Parenting Inventory (FPI) [Power et al 2019] measures food parenting practices and has been validated among diverse populations. We will utilize 5 subscales that link specifically to our HEROs curriculum including: Encourages Exploration of New Foods (3 items), Offers New Foods (3 items), Repeatedly Presents New Foods (3 items), Pressure to Eat (4 items) and Food as Reward (3 items). Response options are a 5-point Likert scale (never to always). The mean score per FPI scale will be calculated for analyses.

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

  4. Change in physical activity parenting practices

    The Preschooler's Physical Activity Parenting Practices (PPAPP) instrument [O'Connor et al 2014] has been validated in a large sample of parents of preschoolers. The Engagement/Structure sub-scale (15 items), and 2 single-items (Have outdoor toys; Not enrolled in sports-reverse coded) measures parenting practices that encourage child physical activity. Practices that discourage child physical activity include 4 subscales: Promote Inactivity (3 items), Promote Screen Time (3 items), Psychological Control (5 items), and Restriction for Safety Concerns (4 items). Response options are a 5-point Likert scale (never to always). A mean score per PPAPP scale will be calculated.

    Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted8 Feb 2021
  2. Study start1 Sep 2019
  3. Primary completion30 Sep 2020
  4. Study completion30 Sep 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
35 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04743531
Sponsor's protocol ID
USDA 2015-68001-23240
Status last verified
Nov 2020
First submitted
3 Feb 2021
Last updated
8 Feb 2021
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided: Data may be available upon request to the Principal Investigator

Publications

  • Vaha-Ypya H, Vasankari T, Husu P, Manttari A, Vuorimaa T, Suni J, Sievanen H. Validation of Cut-Points for Evaluating the Intensity of Physical Activity with Accelerometry-Based Mean Amplitude Deviation (MAD). PLoS One. 2015 Aug 20;10(8):e0134813. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134813. eCollection 2015.

    PubMed 26292225
  • Power TG, Johnson SL, Beck AD, Martinez AD, Hughes SO. The Food Parenting Inventory: Factor structure, reliability, and validity in a low-income, Latina sample. Appetite. 2019 Mar 1;134:111-119. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.11.033. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

    PubMed 30508613
  • Johnson SL, Ryan SM, Kroehl M, Moding KJ, Boles RE, Bellows LL. A longitudinal intervention to improve young children's liking and consumption of new foods: findings from the Colorado LEAP study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2019 Jun 3;16(1):49. doi: 10.1186/s12966-019-0808-3.

    PubMed 31159810
  • Townsend MS, Shilts MK, Styne DM, Drake C, Lanoue L, Ontai L. An Obesity Risk Assessment Tool for Young Children: Validity With BMI and Nutrient Values. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2018 Jul-Aug;50(7):705-717. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2018.01.022. Epub 2018 Mar 19.

    PubMed 29567008
  • O'Connor TM, Cerin E, Hughes SO, Robles J, Thompson DI, Mendoza JA, Baranowski T, Lee RE. Psychometrics of the preschooler physical activity parenting practices instrument among a Latino sample. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014 Jan 15;11:3. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-11-3.

    PubMed 24428935
  • Logan SW, Robinson LE, Getchell N. The comparison of performances of preschool children on two motor assessments. Percept Mot Skills. 2011 Dec;113(3):715-23. doi: 10.2466/03.06.25.PMS.113.6.715-723.

    PubMed 22403917

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing HEROs in people with Health Behavior and Childhood Obesity, run by Colorado State University at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Feb 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in children's diet behaviors (time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), Month 2 (post-intervention), Month 4 (follow up)). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04743531, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Feb 2021.

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