The HEalth In Adolescence (HEIA) study

Promoting healthy weight among school children

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN98552879

Enrollment

Registered

2013-07-11

Start date

2006-06-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Primary prevention of overweight/obesity among school-aged children. Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine Obesity, unspecified

Interventions

The study has benefited from applying the intervention mapping methodology, by including the following phases: (1) needs assessment comprising a situational analysis of weight, diet, and activity patt

(2) development of specific intervention components aimed to influence determinants

(3) implementation of the intervention following intervention mapping guidelines

and (4) a thorough process and outcome evaluation of the intervention. Twelve out of 37 schools were randomly assigned to the intervention group. The control group received no intervention, but was o

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Schools from the 3-4 large towns/municipalities in seven counties surrounding the county of Oslo (south-eastern region of Norway) and with a minimum of 40 enrolled pupils in 6th grade in fall 2007 were to be invited. All 6th grade pupils and their parents in the participating schools were eligible for participation.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Schools from the area of interest with less than 40 enrolled pupils in 6th grade in the fall of 2007.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Anthropometric measures were taken by same-sex project staff in a suitable room in the schools. The height was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm, using a wall-mounted tape with the child standing upright against the wall and without shoes. The weight was measured with the child in light clothing, to the nearest 0.1 kg using Tanita scales (TBF-300; Tanita Corporation of America, Illinois, USA). The scales were new at the start of the study and were not recalibrated during the project. Waist circumference was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm with a flexible measuring tape between the lower rib and the iliac crest at the end of a normal expiration. Hip circumference was measured at the widest circumference of the hip. The pubertal scale utilised is based on the Pubertal Category Scores and included body hair growth (both genders), voice and facial hair (boys), and breast development and menarche (girls). Potential negative consequences of the intervention were assessed in the questionnaire by two questions on weight-related cognitions (perception of own weight, its importance to self-esteem), two on receiving weight-related comments (frequency and by whom), and two on slimming behavior (frequency question and a open-ended question inquiring what they had done to slim) for those who had tried to lose or maintain weight in the last year. Self-reported height and weight, waist, and hip circumferences were obtained from the parents/guardians through the questionnaires. Parents were provided with a measurement tape and written instructions on how to measure waist and hip circumference. The same behaviors as for the children were assessed for each of the parents. In additon, they were asked about whether encouragement of weight loss was practised among the family members. Perceived barriers and facilitators influencing their child?s level of physical activity and consumption of unhealthy foods/drinks were assessed. Finally, a food shelf inventory in the mother?s questionnaire a	—

Measure

Time frame

Anthropometric measures were taken by same-sex project staff in a suitable room in the schools. The height was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm, using a wall-mounted tape with the child standing upright against the wall and without shoes. The weight was measured with the child in light clothing, to the nearest 0.1 kg using Tanita scales (TBF-300; Tanita Corporation of America, Illinois, USA). The scales were new at the start of the study and were not recalibrated during the project. Waist circumference was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm with a flexible measuring tape between the lower rib and the iliac crest at the end of a normal expiration. Hip circumference was measured at the widest circumference of the hip. The pubertal scale utilised is based on the Pubertal Category Scores and included body hair growth (both genders), voice and facial hair (boys), and breast development and menarche (girls). Potential negative consequences of the intervention were assessed in the questionnaire by two questions on weight-related cognitions (perception of own weight, its importance to self-esteem), two on receiving weight-related comments (frequency and by whom), and two on slimming behavior (frequency question and a open-ended question inquiring what they had done to slim) for those who had tried to lose or maintain weight in the last year. Self-reported height and weight, waist, and hip circumferences were obtained from the parents/guardians through the questionnaires. Parents were provided with a measurement tape and written instructions on how to measure waist and hip circumference. The same behaviors as for the children were assessed for each of the parents. In additon, they were asked about whether encouragement of weight loss was practised among the family members. Perceived barriers and facilitators influencing their child?s level of physical activity and consumption of unhealthy foods/drinks were assessed. Finally, a food shelf inventory in the mother?s questionnaire a

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Intake of beverages was assessed by frequency and amount (in glasses) for weekdays and by amount for weekends. Soft drinks and squash with sugar were the main behaviors, but other beverages (such as light soft drinks, light squash, ice tea, water, juice, nectar) were monitored to see whether decreases of the former were accompanied by increases in the latter. Frequency of consumption of fruit and raw and cooked vegetables was assessed by one question for each. In addition, frequency of consumption of sweets/chocolate, salty snacks, sweet cookies, buns/muffins, and five meals/snacks was assessed by nine questions. Physical activity on weekdays was measured with regards to frequency and length of time spent on active transport to/from school, during recess, in PE class, and after school to assess context specific physical activity. For weekends, there was one question on frequency and one on length of time. Four questions assessed the number of hours spent on watching TV/DVDs and on surfing the internet or playing electronic games separately for weekdays and weekends. Physical activity was also measured objectively by accelerometers to assess intensity and total physical activity. The children wore accelerometers (GT1 M/CSA model 7164; ActiGraph, Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA) for 5 consecutive days and were instructed to wear the monitor continuously all awake hours except when doing water activities. The output was sampled every 10 seconds for 2 weekdays and 2 weekends. The criteria defined for acceptable use of the monitor were that activity should be registered during a minimum of 3 days and at least for 8 hours each day.	—

Measure

Time frame

Intake of beverages was assessed by frequency and amount (in glasses) for weekdays and by amount for weekends. Soft drinks and squash with sugar were the main behaviors, but other beverages (such as light soft drinks, light squash, ice tea, water, juice, nectar) were monitored to see whether decreases of the former were accompanied by increases in the latter. Frequency of consumption of fruit and raw and cooked vegetables was assessed by one question for each. In addition, frequency of consumption of sweets/chocolate, salty snacks, sweet cookies, buns/muffins, and five meals/snacks was assessed by nine questions. Physical activity on weekdays was measured with regards to frequency and length of time spent on active transport to/from school, during recess, in PE class, and after school to assess context specific physical activity. For weekends, there was one question on frequency and one on length of time. Four questions assessed the number of hours spent on watching TV/DVDs and on surfing the internet or playing electronic games separately for weekdays and weekends. Physical activity was also measured objectively by accelerometers to assess intensity and total physical activity. The children wore accelerometers (GT1 M/CSA model 7164; ActiGraph, Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA) for 5 consecutive days and were instructed to wear the monitor continuously all awake hours except when doing water activities. The output was sampled every 10 seconds for 2 weekdays and 2 weekends. The criteria defined for acceptable use of the monitor were that activity should be registered during a minimum of 3 days and at least for 8 hours each day.

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Countries

Norway

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Mar 21, 2026