None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Childhood obesity is a serious public health challenge. About one in five Australian children aged 2 to 3 years is now either overweight or obese. Early intervention is important as excess weight and fast weight gain in early childhood are related to being overweight later in life with considerable impact upon health and health services. Over the past 8 years we have developed, implemented and evaluated an early obesity intervention program funded by NHMRC. The project titled Healthy Beginnings Trial (HBT) was designed to improve infant feeding practices, eating habits, active play, and reduce TV viewing time to prevent childhood obesity in the first two years of life through staged home visiting. However, the high cost associated with home visits potentially limits population reach. To translate the successful evidence from the HBT into scaled-up practice applicable across the state with low-cost and broad-reach approaches, we commenced the CHAT study, to promote healthy infant feeding and active play using telephone support and Short Message Service (SMS). The CHAT trial is being conducted with 1155 mothers recruited from the third trimester of pregnancy providing intervention to 24 months of child age. The 24-month follow-up of the CHAT study will be an integral part of the recruitment process and baseline data collection for this new 2-arm RCT. By linking the two studies this study will add significant value to CHAT study by 1) examining the intervention effects at 2 years of age, and 2) conducting a new 2-arm RCT of an early obesity prevention program using a combined telephone support and SMS intervention for children aged 2-4 years. This study will address known gaps in universal obesity prevention strategies for children aged 0-2 years (CHAT study) and 2-4 years (this study) in the most efficient way possible. This unique opportunity of linking two studies will expedite project start up time and provide continuing support to the participants in the existing RCT.
Interventions
This is a two-arm/parallel randomised controlled trial (RCT).
The proposed intervention is based upon the principles of the successful Healthy Beginnings Trial (HBT) intervention, and the RCT of Communicating Healthy Beginnings Advice by Telephone (CHAT) to Mothers with Infants to Prevent Childhood Obesity.
The Tel+SMS intervention will be delivered for 24 months from the child of 2 to 4 years of age. Starting from the child of 2 years old when baseline measurements and randomisation are compl
This is a two-arm/parallel randomised controlled trial (RCT). The proposed intervention is based upon the principles of the successful Healthy Beginnings Trial (HBT) intervention, and the RCT of Communicating Healthy Beginnings Advice by Telephone (CHAT) to Mothers with Infants to Prevent Childhood Obesity. The Tel+SMS intervention will be delivered for 24 months from the child of 2 to 4 years of age. Starting from the child of 2 years old when baseline measurements and randomisation are completed, five telephone support sessions will be scheduled for 24-28, 28-32, 32-36, 39-41 and 44-46 months of the child’s age. A telephone protocol and manual will be developed to ensure consistency of intervention delivery based on our current trial. Telephone sessions will be delivered by a Child and Family Health Nurse trained in telephone support, health behaviour change strategies, and infant development. Based on our current trial experience, we anticipate that each telephone session will be ~20 minutes in duration. The nurse will employ a motivational interviewing approach and aim to set goals, build skills and knowledge, address barriers, and manage any anxiety or stress which may act as a barrier to health behaviour change. To assist, an intervention booklet will be developed according to the key messages that support the developmental milestones at each age and mailed to the participants one week prior to the telephone call. Following each telephone session, we will then send two SMS messages per week for the next eight weeks (i.e., 16 SMS messages following each telephone call) to enhance and reinforce the support provided in the telephone session. SMS wording will be tailored to: mother/primary caregiver/guardian’s first name, child’s first name and age, and a partner’s name (or other nominated support person). Abbreviations will be kept to a minimum to align with mothers/primary caregivers/guardians’ comprehension of SMS language. SMS will be generated and sent using a dedicated, secured web-based software program we used in the existing trial.
Sponsors
A/Prof. Li Ming Wen
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
22 Months to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
The study participants from the existing CHAT 3-arm RCT will be invited to participate. These participants (pregnant women aged 16-50 years) were previously recruited from Sydney, South Eastern Sydney, South Western Sydney and Southern NSW Local Health Districts, and surrounding communities in NSW. The children (both males and females) included in this study will be approximately 24 months of age at the time of recruitment.
Exclusion criteria
Mothers and their child will be excluded from the study if either have a severe medical condition based on advice given by doctors, or they have moved out of the study regions.
Outcome results
None listed