Integrating Community LITE Programme as an Online Family-based Intervention to Combat Childhood Obesity

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Pediatric Obesity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Usual Care; Behavioral: Online community LITE programme

• Registration Number: NCT05281016
• Lead Sponsor: KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Brief Summary

Childhood obesity in Singapore is rising with a record prevalence of 13% in 2017 (1). Given that 70% of overweight children remain so into adulthood (2), this will further increase the public health epidemic of diabetes among Singaporeans. Early intervention is thus critical to improve the weight trajectory of overweight children and foster life long healthy lifestyle habits. Family-based interventions combining dietary, physical activity and behavioural interventions are currently recommended as the best practice in the management of childhood obesity in children younger than 12 years old (3-7). Our pilot study on family-based intervention in the tertiary setting demonstrated feasibility and short-term effectiveness. However, its outreach and sustainable results are limited. Currently, school-based screening, weight management clinics and community recreational facilities are operating in silos with limited effectiveness. Here, the investigators will integrate our family-based intervention into a school, clinic and community partnership to achieve an impactful and sustainable outcome for families with overweight children.

The community Lifestyle InTervention for Everyone (LITE) program is a structured, group family-based multicomponent lifestyle intervention. Community LITE program will introduce various exercise programs within the family based online sessions to reduce perceived barrier and promote self-efficacy of community sports facilities to increase physical activity. Children have minimal control over their food and physical activity choices especially in current obesogenic environment (8). Parents are the most important influencers(9) to impose interventions for childhood obesity through parental practices and parenting style(10). Therefore, they are the main focus of the community-based intervention program.

Detailed Description

The investigators hypothesize that our community LITE program can reduce the prevalence of overweight children aged 6-12 years old in Singapore with sustainable lasting effects by encouraging healthy lifestyle and behaviours. The investigators will test our hypothesis with the following aims:

Primary aim: To investigate whether community LITE programme will lead to a reduction in Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score. Intervention outcome will be compared with that from the usual care at 6 months and 12 months.

Secondary aims:

1. To demonstrate implementation feasibility and acceptability of the community LITE programme

2. To estimate cost and cost effectiveness of programme

3. To estimate the effectiveness of programme. Children will demonstrate improvements in health outcomes at 6-months and 12 months, including waist-height, blood pressure, fruits and vegetables intake and MVPA level at 6 months and 12 months.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-03-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-03-06
• Study First Posted: 2022-03-15
• Study Start: 2022-04-22
• Status Verified: 2024-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-11-24
• Last Update Posted: 2024-11-27
• Primary Completion: 2025-12
• Study Completion: 2025-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• Overweight as defined by BMI percentile of above 90th percentile
• Age 6- 12 years old
• Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients with secondary causes of obesity especially genetic syndromes e.g. Trisomy 21, Prader-Willi, and those who are taking medications that can affect weight status.
• Intellectual disability, poor level of spoken English (including their parent/carer)
• Significant medical illness that precludes physical activity and significant psychiatric illness
• Sibling who is already participating in the study

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention Group	Usual Care	Participants randomised to the Intervention Group will receive standard care plus invitation to participate in the online community LITE programme for 4-5 months.
Delayed Intervention Control Group	Online community LITE programme	Participants randomised to the Control Group will be offered standard care and will be introduced to 6 month delayed intervention which consists of the online community LITE programme.
Delayed Intervention Control Group	Usual Care	Participants randomised to the Control Group will be offered standard care and will be introduced to 6 month delayed intervention which consists of the online community LITE programme.
Intervention Group	Online community LITE programme	Participants randomised to the Intervention Group will receive standard care plus invitation to participate in the online community LITE programme for 4-5 months.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)	Baseline, 6 months and 12 months	Measure the change in BMI at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Body mass index (BMI) will be calculated as kg/m2

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in quality of life	Baseline, 6 months and 12 months	Measure change in quality of life at baseline, 6 months and 12 months using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL; Singapore version 4). PedsQL is a comprehensive and multi-dimensional construct that includes physical, emotional, and social functioning to assess quality of life in the children. It uses a 5-point Likert scale where 0= never, 1 = almost never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = almost always. Items will be reverse scored and linearly transformed to a 0-100 scale so that higher scores indicate better quality of life.
Change in waist circumference	Baseline, 6 months and 12 months	Measure change in waist circumference at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Waist circumference is measured at the narrowest point between the lower costal (rib) border and the iliac crest using a non-extensible steel tape.
Change in servings of fruits and vegetables	Baseline, 6 months and 12 months	Measure change in number of servings of fruits and vegetables using food frequency questionnaire at baseline, 6 months and 12 months .
Change in blood pressure	Baseline, 6 months and 12 months	Measure change in blood pressure at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Blood pressure will be measured in mmHg via an electronic sphygmomanometer. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be measured.
Change in physical activity	Baseline, 6 months and 12 months	Measure change in physical activity using results from accelerometer to assess time spent on sedentary and moderate to vigorous physical activity at baseline, 6 months and 12 months.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

KK Women's and Children's Hospital; 🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore