Influence of a Lifestyle Intervention in Preschool Children on Physiological and Psychological Parameters

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Obesity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Lifestyle intervention

• Registration Number: NCT00674544
• Lead Sponsor: University of Lausanne Hospitals

Brief Summary

Childhood obesity and low fitness tracks into adulthood and carries significant co-morbidities. The investigators test the hypothesis that a multidisciplinary multilevel lifestyle intervention in preschool children in the French and German speaking part of Switzerland during one school-year results in a smaller increase in body mass index (BMI) and a larger increase in aerobic fitness.

Detailed Description

We will assess the effect of this multidisciplinary intervention in a multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial including a total of 40 kindergarten classes in the French (canton Vaud) and in the German (canton St. Gallen) speaking part of Switzerland. Health promoters, trained in physical education, will receive further postgraduate training (in nutrition, education, psychology) and will then in reward teach several kindergarten teachers hands-on. These trained health promoters will intervene on the level of the kindergarten teacher, the parents, the local community and also on the level of the children following a professional pre-specified curriculum in the kindergarten that focuses primarily on physical activity, healthy nutrition, media use and sleep duration. The curriculum also includes information evenings, workshops and fun weekly homework packages. Special attention will be paid to establish a curriculum that reaches also socio-cultural high risk groups living in Switzerland. Measurements will be performed before and after the intervention.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2008-05
• Study First Submitted: 2008-05-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2008-05-07
• Study First Posted: 2008-05-08
• Status Verified: 2009-04
• Primary Completion: 2009-06
• Study Completion: 2009-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2011-01-27
• Last Update Posted: 2011-01-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 650

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy kindergarten children

Exclusion Criteria

• Children with severe chronic disease (restricting physical activity)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention group	Lifestyle intervention	Kindergarten and homebased increases in physical activity, healthy nutrition, sleep duration and decrease in media use: Involvement of parents and siblings

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
BMI and aerobic fitness	1 schoolyear

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Cognition tests	1 schoolyear
total and central body fatness	1 schoolyear
motor abilities	1 schoolyear
physical activity	1 schoolyear
Media use	1 schoolyear
Nutritional behavior and food intake	1 schoolyear
Health-related quality of life, presence of hyperactivity	1 schoolyear

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Service of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism; University of Lausanne; 🇨🇭 Lausanne, Switzerland