Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Approach to Addressing Overweight and Obesity Among Qatari Youth

NCT02972164 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: X - 036 - 3 - 013
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 799
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Levels of overweight and obesity have reached alarming proportions in Qatar and other Gulf nations. In Qatar, the need to establish national strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity has been recognized in the new Qatar National Health Strategy 2011-2016, which stresses the need for prevention. In fact, the Qatar National Nutrition and Physical Activity Action Plan 2011-2016 calls for nutrition and physical activity interventions for the prevention of obesity and related chronic diseases such as diabetes. The treatment and prevention of childhood obesity is largely through lifestyle changes- encouraging health eating and physical activity and discouraging sedentary behavior. However, changing such behaviors is complex and requires a combination of integrated approaches to tackle such a multifaceted problem. Herein, the investigators set out to implement and evaluate a novel weight management program for Qatari school children at the vulnerable age of 9-12 years. The project incorporates a cognitive-behavioral approach that involves developing social and emotional competences, promotion healthy dietary habits, development of physical literacy, and use of activity monitoring devices to promote increased activity while enlisting family involvement in an attempt to maintain weight loss in the long term. This project seeks to also take things further by integrating a range of interventions that use cutting edge insights from the behavioral sciences through the use of MINDSPACE approach (MINDSPACE: Messenger, Incentive, Norms, Default, Salience, Priming, Affect, Commitment, Ego) in conjunction with technology tools for monitoring activity and providing ongoing support through the use of social media. The intervention involves a multi-cohort intervention involving 500 Qatari children over 5 years to be conducted in three phases (1) intensive weight loss camps, (2) after-school clubs as supplement/consolidation, and (3) maintenance through web and social/family support.

Conditions

Obesity

Keywords

Childhood obesity; Lifestyle; Prevention; Intervention; Behavioural psychology

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Weight loss

  Weight loss will be assessed by measurement of Body Mass Index (BMI, expressed in kg/m\^2, weight in kilograms, height in meters) at baseline (Day 1 of week 1), post camp (week 3), post clubs (week 14), and post maintenance/end of intervention (week 26). Change in BMI Standard Deviation Scores (SDS) between baseline and week 26 will be used as indicator of effectiveness of intervention compared to BMI-SDS for the control group. One year follow up of change in BMI-SDS for intervention and control groups will gauge the long term benefits of the intervention. A multilevel mixed effects model will be used to assess both individual- (fixed effects) and school-level (random) effects, including covariates, such as demographic factors of the children and time (cohort). BMI SDS will be evaluated to determine mean differences and the proportions of children with significant changes in BMI-SDS throughout the course of the study. Subgroup analyses will be conducted by gender and age.

  26 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Adoption of healthier dietary habits

  26 weeks

• Increased physical activity patterns

  26 weeks

• Improvement in self-esteem

  26 weeks

• Change in impulsivity

  26 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Each year, 100 school children age 9-12 who meet inclusion criteria are selected from 5 randomly chosen schools to participate in the control group. Control children are assessed for the same measures as the intervention group at the beginning and end of the intervention but receive none of the intervention modules.

Weight loss program for school children

EXPERIMENTAL

Each year, 100 school children age 9-12 who meet inclusion criteria are selected from 5 randomly chosen schools to participate in the intervention group. The intervention children take part in the integrated approach for weight management consisting of (1) intensive weight loss camp (2) twelve weeks of after school clubs for consolidation purposes, and (3) social media and wearable sensors for support and monitoring.

Behavioral: Weight loss program for school children

Interventions

Weight loss program for school children BEHAVIORAL

The intervention involves developing social and emotional competences, promotion of healthy lifestyle, use of activity monitoring devices to promote increased activity and enlisting family to maintain weight loss in the long term. The intervention group receives all program components: 1. Parent information sessions and orientation, 2. Two week intensive weight loss and lifestyle education camp, 3. after school clubs for consolidation (including physical activity and lifestyle education), and 4. wearable sensors and social media modules with parental involvement. Assessed outcomes include pre- and post-measurement at each phase included: weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, physical activity, dietary intakes, self-esteem, and subjective well-being.

Also known as: Cognitive Behavioural and lifestyle

Weight loss program for school children

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 9 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• School children within age range of 9-12 yrs, at or above 95th percentile of BMI by age using International Obesity TaskForce (IOTF) cut off, and parental consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Psychiatric or neurological disorders, learning disability, dyslexia, current or past drug abuse, head injury and psychotropic medication.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Qatar University: lead
• Imperial College London: collaborator
• Hamad Medical Corporation: collaborator
• Supreme Council Of Health, Qatar: collaborator
• Aspetar: collaborator
• Leeds Beckett University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Qatar University

Doha, 2713, Qatar

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Vlaev I, Taylor MJ, Taylor D, Gately P, Gunn LH, Abeles A, Kerkadi A, Lothian J, Jreige SK, Alsaadi A, Al-Kuwari MG, Ghuloum S, Al-Kuwari H, Darzi A, Ahmedna M. Testing a multicomponent lifestyle intervention for combatting childhood obesity. BMC Public Health. 2021 Apr 29;21(1):824. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10838-1.

  PMID: 33926412 DERIVED

• Fernandez-Luque L, Singh M, Ofli F, Mejova YA, Weber I, Aupetit M, Jreige SK, Elmagarmid A, Srivastava J, Ahmedna M. Implementing 360 degrees Quantified Self for childhood obesity: feasibility study and experiences from a weight loss camp in Qatar. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2017 Apr 13;17(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s12911-017-0432-6.

  PMID: 28403865 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Obesity; Pediatric Obesity

Interventions

Weight Reduction Programs

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Health Promotion; Health Education; Preventive Health Services; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Officials

• Mohamed Ahmedna, PhD

  Qatar University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 14, 2016
• First Posted: November 23, 2016
• Study Start: August 1, 2013
• Primary Completion: September 1, 2017
• Study Completion: March 1, 2018
• Last Updated: April 10, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

QA (1)