Peer-Supported E-Health Intervention for College Student Weight Management and Mental Health
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 216
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in Body Weight
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This study will test whether adding peer support and online education can help college students manage their weight and improve their mood: we plan to enroll 300 full-time university students and randomly assign them to one of three six-month groups (monthly in-person health talks and weekly emailed tips alone; those activities plus biweekly peer-mentor meetings and an online chat group; or those activities plus a custom app delivering weekly lessons, monthly expert live Q&A, and self-tracking tools). We will measure weight, body mass index (BMI), and scores on standard questionnaires for depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7) and life satisfaction (SWLS) at baseline, three months and six months to compare the effectiveness of each approach. By identifying which combination of face-to-face support and digital tools produces the greatest improvements, we aim to inform low-cost, scalable programs to help students maintain a healthy weight and emotional well-being.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 25 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Full-time undergraduate students aged 18-25 years
- •Baseline BMI ≥ 24.0 kg/m²
- •Able to provide informed consent
- •Owns a smartphone or computer with internet access
- •Willing to attend monthly lectures and complete online modules
Exclusion Criteria
- •Current participation in another weight-management or psychological intervention program
- •Diagnosis of an eating disorder, severe psychiatric illness, or medical condition affecting weight (e.g., hyperthyroidism)
- •Pregnant or planning pregnancy during the study period
- •Any physical limitation precluding participation in light-to-moderate physical activity
- •Inability to communicate in the language of intervention materials
Arms & Interventions
Control Arm
Peer Support Arm
Intervention: Peer Support Intervention (Behavioral)
Peer Support eHealth Arm
Intervention: Peer Support and eHealth Intervention (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in Body Weight
Time Frame: Baseline and Month 6 (6 months)
Mean change in body weight (in kilograms) from baseline to the end of the 6-month intervention, measured by a calibrated digital scale under standardized conditions (light clothing, no shoes).
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Depression Severity (PHQ-9)(Baseline and Month 6 (6 months))
Investigators
Ma Ruisi
Lecturer, School of Physical Education, Jinan University
Jinan University Guangzhou