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mHealth for Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Mexico

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Overweight and Obesity
Interventions
Behavioral: SMS´s sending by cell phone for behavior change
Other: Control group
Registration Number
NCT04250896
Lead Sponsor
Mexican National Institute of Public Health
Brief Summary

Background: The sending of text messages (short messaging service, SMS) has been proven as an effective strategy in behavior change. In Mexico, the Strategy of Comprehensive Care for the Nutrition (EsIAN for its acronym in Spanish ) focuses on improving access to information for the main caregivers of child beneficiaries on the practice of infant feeding and healthy physical activity.

Objective: To assess whether the mHealth (or mobile health) strategy or the sending of SMS has an effect on knowledge, attitudes, intentionality, perceived control and practices to prevent childhood malnutrition in a population living in poverty.

Design: Randomized effectiveness trial by conglomerates. Participants: 400 primary caregivers of children \<59 months and health personnel working in the health units included in the study.

Control group: Healthy child care in standard health units plus exposure to EsIAN.

Intervention group: In addition to the control group, the SMS are sent through a cell pone through the RapidPro platform on practices related to prevention of child malnutrition (in primary caregivers) and the reinforcement of counseling for the prevention of infant malnutrition (with health personnel).

Randomization: The first level health units were stratified by state (Morelos or Yucatan); rural and urban area and affiliation institution (Secretary of Health or Mexican Institute of Social Security); and randomized to be assigned to the control or intervention group; 400 primary caregivers of children \<59 months in total will be included for the study.

Main measures of interest: State of nutrition and knowledge, attitudes or practices on breastfeeding, physical activity, adoption and preparation of healthy foods and beverages in primary caregivers of children\<5 years old; and advice on the key messages of EsIAN by health providers.

Detailed Description

RapidPro is a tecnological platform of programming of short messaging service (SMS) for cell phone.

Morelos is the name of one of the central states of Mexico Yucatan is the name of one of the south states of Mexico

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1000
Inclusion Criteria
  • Primary caregivers whose beneficiaries children are cared in the health units selected for the study and who have a cell pone in home
  • Health personnel who provides services to Prospera population in the health units selected for the study and that have a cell pone
  • Primary caregiver, must care for at least one child under 60 months users of the health units selected for the study
Exclusion Criteria
  • Primary caregivers and health personnel who do not have a cell pone or who do not have connectivity in their communities
  • Health personnel, who have been in office for a least 3 months

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
InterventionSMS´s sending by cell phone for behavior changeIntervention group will receive SMS messages sent through a cell pone in addition to the control group receive (standard child care in health units plus exposure to EsIAN)
ControlControl groupControl group will receive standard child care in health units plus exposure to EsIAN (Strategy of Integral Attention to Nutrition)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
prevalence of overweight and obesitybasal and through study completion, an average of 9 months.

Through the measurements of weight and height to children under 60 months, the estimator of body mass index adjusted for age will be calculated to determine prevalence of overweight (+1 SD. Z score ) and obesity (+2 SD Z score).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Proportion of caregivers / mothers with correct infant feeding practices scalebasal and through study completion, an average of 9 months.

Practices related to breastfeeding, complementary food and healthy nutrition during childhood (scale of 0-20 values , which high scores \>15 is correct)

Proportion of caregivers / mothers with correct physical activity practices scalebasal and through study completion, an average of 9 months.

Practices of physical activity to less 5 years old (scale of 0-20 values , which high scores \>15 is correct)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Ministry of Health of Morelos State

🇲🇽

Cuernavaca, Mexico

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