Health BehaviorMOMSNCT05181280
Moms on Media Study
A study testing Intervention Group in people with Health Behavior, run by University of Guelph at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
This research will explore the impact of digital technology, specifically social media, on the health behaviours of mothers in the postpartum period by conducting an experimental study to test the effect of social media messaging on body dissatisfaction, eating attitudes and behaviours, and physical activity… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Health Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Intervention Group
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 132 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 15 Nov 2020to 21 Feb 2021
- 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 Any age
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Can respond to surveys in English
- Has a child 0-6 months old
- Owns a smartphone
Who cannot join
- History of anxiety or depression
- Taking pharmacological treatments for anxiety or depression
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Moms on Media Study: Testing the Influence of Social Media on the Health Behaviours of Mothers During the Postpartum Period
This research will explore the impact of digital technology, specifically social media, on the health behaviours of mothers in the postpartum period by conducting an experimental study to test the effect of social media messaging on body dissatisfaction, eating attitudes and behaviours, and physical activity intentions and behaviours among postpartum mothers. The primary objective is to determine the extent to which body image messaging targeting mothers, compared with the control, result in feelings of body dissatisfaction and poorer eating attitudes and behaviours, and increased physical activity intention immediately following the 5-day exposure period. The secondary objective is to determine the sustained impact of the body image messaging compared to control at 1-month follow-up.
Read the detailed description
The postpartum period is a critical time for both maternal and child health. Body dissatisfaction is higher during the postpartum period compared to other periods of life and is strongly associated with disordered eating behaviours. Body dissatisfaction among mothers not only effects the health of mothers but can also negatively influence the eating attitudes and behaviours of their children.
Although research has shown that media images have a strong adverse influence of women's body dissatisfaction, most of this research has focused on traditional forms of media, such as magazines. Limited research has explored how messages and images on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, influence women's body dissatisfaction and disordered eating risk, and no studies have explored this association among mothers. This is a concern as nearly 90% of mothers use social media regularly. Thus, little is known about how the current media environment influences body dissatisfaction and eating behaviour during the postpartum period.
The proposed research will address this knowledge gap by conducting an experimental study to test the effect of social media messaging on body dissatisfaction, eating attitudes and behaviours, and physical activity intentions and behaviours among postpartum mothers. The primary objective is to determine the extent to which body image messaging targeting mothers, compared with the control, result in feelings of body dissatisfaction and poorer eating attitudes and behaviours, and increased physical activity intention immediately following the 5-day exposure period. The secondary objective is to determine the sustained impact of the body image messaging compared to control at 1-month follow-up.
This study will provide a much-needed understanding of the effect of digital technology on postpartum mothers' body dissatisfaction, eating attitudes and behaviours, and physical activity intentions and behaviours. Results will inform healthcare interventions, equipping clinicians with research-based evidence to support postpartum mothers in maintaining positive body image and healthy eating and physical activity attitudes and behaviours.
- Conditions
- Health Behavior
- Being tested
- Intervention Group, Control Group
- Medical subject headings
- Health Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Intervention GroupOther
Exposure session will consist of 15 social media "ideal body" message posts.
Control GroupOther
Exposure will consist of 15 social media posts on infant feeding tips.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Treatment: Standardized body image messaging targeting mothers. Following a similar model that has been used in previous studies testing the effect of traditional media exposure on body image and disordered eating behaviour, participants randomized to the treatment condition will have 1 exposure session per day over 5 days. Each exposure session will consist of 15 social media body message posts. Body image messaging targeting mothers will consist of mothers with "ideal" postpartum bodies and captions trending over the past 24 months. Receives: Other: Intervention Group |
| Control | Placebo comparator | Control: Standardized infant feeding tips messaging. Participants randomized to the control will have 1 exposure session/day over 5 days. Each exposure will consist of 15 social media posts on infant feeding tips. Receives: Other: Control Group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Body Dissatisfaction at 5 days and 1 month
Body dissatisfaction will be measured using the body satisfaction subscale from the Multidimensional Eating Disorder Inventory, a 9-item subscale that measures satisfaction with physical appearance. This subscale includes questions such as "I think my stomach is too big". This subscale has been validated among a diverse population of women, with good internal consistency. Response options are "never", "rarely", "sometimes", "often", "usually", and "always", and are coded as 1-6 respectively. Higher scores indicate higher levels of body dissatisfaction.
Measured: 5 days and 1 month
Secondary outcomes (2)
Change in Eating Attitude at 5 days and 1 month
Disordered eating attitudes will be measured using the validated Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), a 26 items scale that measures attitudes toward food, body, and eating. Response options for all questions are "never", "rarely", "sometimes", "often", "usually", "always" with higher scores indicating higher levels of disordered eating attitudes.
Measured: 5 days and 1 month
Change in Eating Behaviour at 5 days and 1 month
Disordered eating behaviours will be measured using the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ), a 24-item questionnaire with 3 subscales that measures restrained eating, emotional eating (4-item version), and external eating. This well-established questionnaire was found to have good internal consistency among each of the 3 subscales (Cronbach's Alpha 0.80 - 0.95), has been used to examine the eating behaviours of mothers,49 and postpartum mothers, and has been validated among diverse populations. The DEBQ includes questions such as "how often do you refuse food and drink offered because you are concerned about your weight?". Response options range from never to very often are assigned a score between 1 and 5. Scored are summed for each of the subscales, with higher scores indicating more restrained eating, more emotional eating, and more external eating.
Measured: 5 days and 1 month
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Jan 2022
- Study start15 Nov 2020
- Primary completion22 Jan 2021
- Study completion21 Feb 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Health BehaviorStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants are randomized into either the intervention group (body image messaging) or control group (infant feeding messaging).
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 132 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Guelph
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research (CFDR)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lisa Tang, University of Guelph
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05181280
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 054798
- Acronym
- MOMS
- Status last verified
- May 2023
- First submitted
- 8 Dec 2021
- Last updated
- 9 May 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Tang L, Tiggemann M, Haines J. #Fitmom: an experimental investigation of the effect of social media on body dissatisfaction and eating and physical activity intentions, attitudes, and behaviours among postpartum mothers. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022 Oct 12;22(1):766. doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-05089-w.
PubMed 36224523
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 May 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Moms on Media Study: Testing the Influence of Social Media on the Health Behaviours of Mothers During the Postpartum Period
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05181280
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MOMS / 054798
- Conditions
- Health Behavior
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 132 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of GuelphUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research (CFDR)
- Study start
- 15 Nov 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 22 Jan 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 21 Feb 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 6 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This research will explore the impact of digital technology, specifically social media, on the health behaviours of mothers in the postpartum period by conducting an experimental study to test the effect of social media messaging on body dissatisfaction, eating attitudes and behaviours, and physical activity intentions and behaviours among postpartum mothers. The primary objective is to determine the extent to which body image messaging targeting mothers, compared with the control, result in feelings of body dissatisfaction and poorer eating attitudes and behaviours, and increased physical activity intention immediately following the 5-day exposure period. The secondary objective is to determine the sustained impact of the body image messaging compared to control at 1-month follow-up.
Detailed description
The postpartum period is a critical time for both maternal and child health. Body dissatisfaction is higher during the postpartum period compared to other periods of life and is strongly associated with disordered eating behaviours. Body dissatisfaction among mothers not only effects the health of mothers but can also negatively influence the eating attitudes and behaviours of their children.
Although research has shown that media images have a strong adverse influence of women's body dissatisfaction, most of this research has focused on traditional forms of media, such as magazines. Limited research has explored how messages and images on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, influence women's body dissatisfaction and disordered eating risk, and no studies have explored this association among mothers. This is a concern as nearly 90% of mothers use social media regularly. Thus, little is known about how the current media environment influences body dissatisfaction and eating behaviour during the postpartum period.
The proposed research will address this knowledge gap by conducting an experimental study to test the effect of social media messaging on body dissatisfaction, eating attitudes and behaviours, and physical activity intentions and behaviours among postpartum mothers. The primary objective is to determine the extent to which body image messaging targeting mothers, compared with the control, result in feelings of body dissatisfaction and poorer eating attitudes and behaviours, and increased physical activity intention immediately following the 5-day exposure period. The secondary objective is to determine the sustained impact of the body image messaging compared to control at 1-month follow-up.
This study will provide a much-needed understanding of the effect of digital technology on postpartum mothers' body dissatisfaction, eating attitudes and behaviours, and physical activity intentions and behaviours. Results will inform healthcare interventions, equipping clinicians with research-based evidence to support postpartum mothers in maintaining positive body image and healthy eating and physical activity attitudes and behaviours.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants are randomized into either the intervention group (body image messaging) or control group (infant feeding messaging).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Other: Intervention GroupTreatment: Standardized body image messaging targeting mothers. Following a similar model that has been used in previous studies testing the effect of traditional media exposure on body image and disordered eating behaviour, participants randomized to the treatment condition will have 1 exposure session per day over 5 days. Each exposure session will consist of 15 social media body message posts. Body image messaging targeting mothers will consist of mothers with "ideal" postpartum bodies and captions trending over the past 24 months. |
| Control | Placebo comparator | Other: Control GroupControl: Standardized infant feeding tips messaging. Participants randomized to the control will have 1 exposure session/day over 5 days. Each exposure will consist of 15 social media posts on infant feeding tips. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Can respond to surveys in English
- Has a child 0-6 months old
- Owns a smartphone
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- History of anxiety or depression
- Taking pharmacological treatments for anxiety or depression
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention GroupExposure session will consist of 15 social media "ideal body" message posts. | Other | Intervention |
| Control GroupExposure will consist of 15 social media posts on infant feeding tips. | Other | Control |
Primary outcome
Change in Body Dissatisfaction at 5 days and 1 month
Time frame: 5 days and 1 month
Body dissatisfaction will be measured using the body satisfaction subscale from the Multidimensional Eating Disorder Inventory, a 9-item subscale that measures satisfaction with physical appearance. This subscale includes questions such as "I think my stomach is too big". This subscale has been validated among a diverse population of women, with good internal consistency. Response options are "never", "rarely", "sometimes", "often", "usually", and "always", and are coded as 1-6 respectively. Higher scores indicate higher levels of body dissatisfaction.
2 secondary outcomes
Change in Eating Attitude at 5 days and 1 month
Time frame: 5 days and 1 month
Change in Eating Behaviour at 5 days and 1 month
Time frame: 5 days and 1 month
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 May 2023.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 36224523Tang L, Tiggemann M, Haines J. #Fitmom: an experimental investigation of the effect of social media on body dissatisfaction and eating and physical activity intentions, attitudes, and behaviours among postpartum mothers. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2022 Oct 12;22(1):766. doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-05089-w.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Intervention Group in people with Health Behavior, run by University of Guelph at 1 site in Canada.
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 2 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 9 May 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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 Body Dissatisfaction at 5 days and 1 month (time frame: 5 days and 1 month). 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 NCT05181280, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 9 May 2023.