Digital Versus Hybrid Interventions in Promoting Nutrition Knowledge Among Saudi Adolescent Girls

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Nutrition Knowledge; Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD); Food Habits; Body Mass Index

• Registration Number: NCT06836336
• Lead Sponsor: Umm Al-Qura University

Brief Summary

This study primarily aims to compare the efficacy of different approaches to nutrition education intervention delivery in improving nutrition knowledge (NK) among Saudi adolescent girls. A secondary aim is to compare the effectiveness of these interventions in enhancing dietary habits and reducing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) scores.A randomized sample of 104 Saudi adolescent girls aged 16-18 years from a single high school in Makkah city enrolled in a 4-week lifestyle educational intervention for health promotion. Participants were randomly assigned to either a hybrid or a fully digital nutritional education program. Outcome measures included knowledge (NK), dietary and lifestyle habits assessed by the Healthy Plate Variety Score (HPVS), and mental health evaluated using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) scores.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-11-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-12-31
• Study Completion: 2024-12-31
• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Study First Submitted: 2025-02-09
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-02-17
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-02-17
• Study First Posted: 2025-02-20
• Last Update Posted: 2025-02-20

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 104

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy
• Adolescents (15-19 years old)
• Reliable internet access
• Willing to participate

Exclusion Criteria

• Has chronic disease/s
• <15 years and >19 years
• No internet access
• Not willing to participate

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Nutrition knowledge	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks	Nutritional Knowledge was assessed using a validated dietary questionnaire, distributed in Arabic (24). The questionnaire comprised 10 items, with a maximum score of 10 points. Each correct response was awarded 1 point, while incorrect answers or uncertain responses received a score of zero. The final score was derived by summing the total points. To classify NK levels, modified Bloom's cut-off points were employed: a score of 80-100% (8-10 points) indicated good NK, 50-79% (5-7.9 points) represented moderate knowledge, and scores below 50% (\<5 points) denoted low knowledge. For analytical purposes, these categories were dichotomized into satisfactory NK (\>80% correct) and unsatisfactory NK (\<80% correct) (7,25).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scores (GAD)	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks	Anxiety levels were measured using the GAD-7. This is a 7-item validated questionnaire (28), which is widely used to screen for and quantify the severity of GAD. The Arabic version of this tool has been adopted by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health for initial anxiety screening. Each item is rated on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), with total scores ranging from 0 to 21. Higher scores reflect greater anxiety levels. Anxiety was defined using a cutoff score of 10 or above, which differentiated between minimal to mild anxiety and moderate to severe anxiety (28).
Dietary habits	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks	Dietary habits were evaluated using a questionnaire adapted from research on food consumption frequencies in Qatar, which share similar characteristics with Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire assessed the frequency of consumption of various food groups, including vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates (e.g., bread, rice, pasta), proteins (e.g., chicken, beef, fish), and dairy products (e.g. yoghurt and cheese). Participants responded to questions such as, "How often do you consume fresh fruits/green leafy vegetables/fish? To evaluate dietary variety, the study employed the Healthy Plate Variety Score, calculated using a modified methodology based on Jones et al. (2015). This approach involved dichotomizing food intake from the five main groups into two categories (daily intake vs. non-daily). Foods consumed daily received a score of 1, while those not consumed daily received a score of 0 with a potential maximum score of 5.0.
Anthropometric measurements (Body mass index)	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks	Body measurements were obtained using standardized equipment following established operating procedures. Trained senior dietitians objectively assessed the height and weight of adolescents using a mechanical combined scale and a stadiometer (Detecto). Prior to measurement, a technician ensured that the equipment was properly calibrated. Height was recorded to the nearest 0.1 cm while participants were barefoot and dressed in minimal clothing. Weight was measured and documented to the nearest 0.1 kg. The Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of the height in meters. Weight status was classified according to the criteria set by the World Health Organization (WHO): underweight was defined as a BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m², normal weight ranged from 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m², overweight was categorized as a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m², and obesity was indicated by a BMI of 30.0 kg/m² or higher.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Al-Fatat Private School; 🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi Arabia