Testing the Feasibility and Preliminary Effect of Summer Camp

NCT04085965 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 710-9073
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 94
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This pilot randomized controlled trial was designed to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of randomizing children, ages 6-12 years from two low-income communities in Rhode Island, to attend a summer day camp (CAMP) or to experience summer as usual (SAU). Children randomized to CAMP attended a Boys and Girls Club summer day camp for 8-weeks in summer 2017 or 2018. As part of the consent process, children randomized to SAU agreed to experience an unstructured summer (i.e. not enroll in more than one week of summer camp, summer school or other structured summer programming). Primary feasibility outcomes included retention, engagement and completion of midsummer measures. Secondary outcomes, change in BMIz (a proxy for excess summer weight gain), physical activity engagement, sedentary behavior, and diet (energy intake and diet quality), were collected by blinded research staff at the end of the school year, midsummer and the end of the summer.

Conditions

Childhood Obesity Prevention

Keywords

Summer Camp; Child overweight / obesity; Diet; Physical Activity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Retention

  Number of participants who completed both baseline and end of summer assessments

  Baseline to end of summer; 8 weeks

• Camp Attendance

  Number of days children attended the Boys and Girls Club Camp

  8 weeks

• Participation in Summer Activities

  Number of days children attended camp, summer school, or day care over the summer

  8 weeks

• Completion of study measures

  Number of participants who completed three 24-hour diet recalls and/or 7-days of actigraphy at baseline and mid-summer assessment visits

  Baseline (May / June); Midsummer (mid-July)

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Excess summer weight gain

  Baseline to end of summer; 8 weeks

• Physical Activity

  4-6 weeks (from baseline (end of May / beginning of June) to mid-summer (mid-July))

• Sedentary Behavior

  4-6 weeks (from baseline (end of May / beginning of June) to mid-summer (mid-July))

• Energy Intake

  4-6 weeks (from baseline (end of May / beginning of June) to mid-summer (mid-July))

• Diet Quality

  4-6 weeks (from baseline (end of May / beginning of June) to mid-summer (mid-July))

Study Arms (2)

CAMP

EXPERIMENTAL

Children randomized to CAMP were enrolled in the Boys and Girls Club Camp in one of two low-income Rhode Island communities in summer 2017 or 2018 for 7-weeks in 2017 and 8-weeks in 2018 due to a delayed end to the 2017 school year (i.e. snow days). Camp was offered daily from 8:30 to 4:30.

Behavioral: Boys and Girls Club summer day camp

Summer As Usual

NO INTERVENTION

Children randomized to the SAU group were asked to experience an unstructured summer as otherwise planned by their parent / guardian. They agreed to not attend structured summer programming (i.e. camp, summer school, or day care) for more than one week over the summer so as to provide an inactive control group for comparison to those in CAMP.

Interventions

Boys and Girls Club summer day camp BEHAVIORAL

Daily camp activities included sports, games, obstacle courses, swimming and boating, summer learning and arts and crafts. Lunch was served daily via the USDA's Summer Food Service Program.

CAMP

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school
• Speak English (for purposes of camp participation)
• Agree, along with their parent(s), to randomization.

You may not qualify if:

• A medical condition that interferes with participation in physical activity
• Enrollment in summer programming (camp, summer school, etc) for more than one week

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Miriam Hospital: lead
• Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The Miriam Hospital

Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Evans EW, Wing RR, Pierre DF, Howie WC, Brinker M, Jelalian E. Testing the effect of summer camp on excess summer weight gain in youth from low-income households: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health. 2020 Nov 17;20(1):1732. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-09806-y.

  PMID: 33203385 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Obesity; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 3, 2019
• First Posted: September 11, 2019
• Study Start: May 17, 2017
• Primary Completion: August 22, 2018
• Study Completion: August 22, 2018
• Last Updated: September 11, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)