Squire's Quest! II: Implementation Intentions and Children's Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable (FJV) Consumption

Phase 2

Completed

• Conditions: Obesity; Cancer
• Interventions: Behavioral: simple goal setting; Behavioral: goal setting plus action intentions plus coping intentions; Behavioral: goal setting plus action intentions; Behavioral: goal setting plus coping intentions

• Registration Number: NCT01004094
• Lead Sponsor: Baylor College of Medicine

Brief Summary

The primary purpose of this research is to test the effects of goal setting on fruit and vegetable goal attainment and consumption in a 10 episode video game. Factors associated with maintenance of behavior change will also be examined. Secondary purposes are to explore the impact of the intervention on psychosocial factors and the home environment. 400 parent-child pairs will be recruited for this research (800 participants total). Children will play the video game and participate in data collection activities. Parents will receive newsletters, have access to a healthy foods web site, and participate in data collection activities. A small subset will be randomly selected to participate in interviews about the intervention and its effect on the home food environment.

Detailed Description

Obesity is increasing among youth and is associated with increased risk of certain cancers and other chronic diseases. Fruit, juice, and vegetable (FJV) intake is associated with decreased risk of many types of cancer and obesity, but is well below the recommended minimum of five servings a day. Innovative methods are needed to promote increased consumption among youth.

Goal setting enhances goal attainment and, therefore, facilitates behavior change. Little research has been conducted, however, on the most effective goal setting methods to use with youth. Among adults, the formation of implementation intentions (a detailed plan of when, where, and how goals will be achieved) has been shown to enhance goal attainment and/or behavior change, including dietary change. Research is needed to determine if extending the goal setting process to include implementation intentions is an effective method for enhancing goal attainment, and therefore, increasing FJV intake among youth.

Squire's Quest! is a proven-effective 10-session, 5 week interactive multi media program that enabled children to increase FJV consumption by 1.0 servings a day. Total consumption was still well below five servings a day, however. Additionally, goal attainment was related to FJV consumption among certain sub-groups of youth. Therefore, additional work in this area is warranted. The research outlined in this proposal will expand the goal setting component of this successful intervention to include the formation of implementation intentions. Hypotheses related to the impact of implementation intentions on goal attainment and FJV consumption will then be tested. Issues related to maintenance of youth dietary behavior change will also be explored.

This project is relevant to public health because enhancing our understanding of how to more effectively help young children set and achieve FJV goals should result in increased FJV consumption, which should decrease risk of both obesity and certain cancers in a vulnerable segment of the population.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2009-10
• Study First Submitted: 2009-10-28
• Study First Submitted QC: 2009-10-28
• Study First Posted: 2009-10-29
• Primary Completion: 2011-03
• Study Completion: 2011-03
• Status Verified: 2016-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-01-18
• Last Update Posted: 2016-01-20

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 800

Inclusion Criteria

• child: 4th or 5th grade children who speak, write, and understand English; have access to a computer with high speed internet; provide written parental consent and child assent; and have a parent who speaks and understands English or Spanish who is willing to participate in the study
• Parents: parent or legal guardian of a child participating in the study

Exclusion Criteria

• child: not meeting inclusion criteria; having physical, mental, or medical limitations that inhibit ability to fully participate in the study (answer questions online and over the phone, play the video game, eat fruit and vegetables); and/or not having a parent/legal guardian willing to participate in data collection activities.
• Parents. Exclusion criteria are limited to not meeting the inclusion criteria.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
simple goal setting	simple goal setting	This group will only set a goal.
goal setting plus action intentions plus coping intentions	goal setting plus action intentions plus coping intentions	This group will set goals, form action intentions (plans), and form coping intentions (plans) to facilitate goal attainment.
goal setting plus action intentions	goal setting plus action intentions	This group will set goals and form action intentions (plans) to facilitate goal attainment.
goal setting plus coping intentions	goal setting plus coping intentions	This group will set goals and form coping intentions (plans) to facilitate goal attainment.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Fruit and vegetable consumption	baseline, immediate post, 3 months later

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Goal attainment	during intervention

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Baylor College of Medicine; 🇺🇸 Houston, Texas, United States