Six-Week Board Game Intervention to Improve Hydration in Tunisian School Children

NCT07212309 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HydrationBoardGame2021
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 240
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluated a six-week educational program designed to improve hydration knowledge, hydration status, and drinking practices in young school children in Tunisia. The intervention used an adapted "Snakes and Ladders" board game that delivers fun, age-appropriate messages about healthy fluid intake. Two hundred forty first-grade students (ages 6-7 years) from two public primary schools were invited to participate during the 2021-2022 academic year. After obtaining parental consent, children were assigned by class to either an intervention group, which played the hydration board game once a week before their physical education (PE) lesson, or a control group, which continued usual activities. Primary outcomes included hydration knowledge, hydration status (change in body mass before and after PE), perceived thirst, and the volume of water consumed during PE. Outcomes were measured before the program and again after six weeks. This randomized controlled trial sought to determine whether a playful, classroom-based board game can enhance children's understanding and daily practices related to proper hydration.

Conditions

Hydration Status; Hydration Behavior; Water Intake

Keywords

hydration; hydration knowledge; water intake; Physical Education; Board Game Intervention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in hydration knowledge among school children

  Hydration knowledge was assessed using the Hydration Awareness Questionnaire (HAQ), a validated instrument designed to evaluate understanding of hydration concepts, acclimatization, and their importance for safe exercise. The HAQ consists of 15 items, each scored on a 0-10 Likert scale (0 = strongly disagree, 10 = strongly agree), for a total possible score of 0-150, with higher scores indicating greater hydration knowledge. The primary objective is to determine whether the board game-based educational intervention improves children's hydration knowledge relative to the control group.

  From baseline to end of six-week intervention

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in self-reported hydration habits among school children

  Pre- and post-intervention over six weeks

• Hydration status

  before and after their PE lesson during six weeks

• Change in observed hydration behavior during school physical education sessions

  Pre- and post-intervention over six weeks

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Group - Board Game-Based Hydration Education

EXPERIMENTAL

Children in this group participate in a six-week educational program using board games designed to improve hydration knowledge, encourage healthy drinking behaviors, and monitor hydration status. Sessions are interactive, engaging, and integrated into school activities

Behavioral: Board Game-Based Hydration Education Program

Control Group - Usual School Activities

NO INTERVENTION

Children in this group continue their usual school routine without any additional educational program on hydration. They serve as a comparison to evaluate the effects of the intervention

Interventions

Board Game-Based Hydration Education Program BEHAVIORAL

A six-week educational program delivered through board games, designed to improve hydration knowledge, practices, and status among school children. The program includes interactive sessions, quizzes, and games that teach the importance of adequate water intake. It is integrated into regular school activities and monitored for engagement and adherence.

Intervention Group - Board Game-Based Hydration Education

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 7 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• First-grade students aged 6-7 years
• Normal BMI according to Cole criteria (2007)
• Parental consent provided

You may not qualify if:

• Exempted from PE due to injury, allergy, or medical condition
• Absent during data collection

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax: lead

Study Sites (1)

Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax

Tunis, Sfax Governorate, 3018, Tunisia

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Cluster randomized controlled trial with classes assigned as clusters to either the board game educational intervention or the control group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 23, 2025
• First Posted: October 8, 2025
• Study Start: February 1, 2022
• Primary Completion: March 20, 2022
• Study Completion: March 31, 2022
• Last Updated: October 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)