Sugar Champ: Pilot Social Network Intervention to Reduce Intake of Sugary Drinks
Condition: Overweight and Obesity
MeSH terms: Overweight
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The 1.2 million households living in public housing are disproportionately affected by
      obesity, where prevalence is estimated at 50%. An ecologic framework hypothesizes that this
      disparity is related, in part, to social and environmental factors within these neighborhoods
      that influence residents' lifestyles. Social networks and the built environment may work
      together to promote or inhibit lifestyle behaviors; however, combined social network-built
      environment interventions have not previously targeted changes in diet. Investigators
      hypothesize that an intervention that combines a social network approach with strategies that
      address public housing residents' challenges related to the built environment will improve
      dietary habits. The investigators' overall aim is to develop a combined social network-built
      environment intervention to reduce intake of beverages high in added sugars and to pilot test
      the intervention among residents of public housing developments in Baltimore, MD. The
      investigators' aim for this work is: 1) To develop a combined social network-built
      environment intervention to reduce intake of beverages high in added sugars and to pilot test
      the intervention among residents of public housing developments in Baltimore, MD.
      Investigators hypothesize that a social network intervention will be feasible and acceptable
      in promoting healthy lifestyle change, and that this intervention will alter lifestyle
      behaviors among public housing residents.
    

Detailed description: 
      Investigators will conduct a 6-month non-randomized trial of the social network intervention
      described below. This will be a single arm trial in which investigators compare the outcomes
      of interest pre- and post- intervention. Investigators will adapt an HIV risk reduction
      social network intervention to create a new social network intervention targeting reduction
      in intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). The investigators' primary outcomes will be to
      test the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention and its components as well as
      estimate the likely effect of the intervention.

      In the intervention, individuals will be recruited and trained to be "Peer Educators" who
      will participate in group sessions and then communicate this information with members of
      participant's social network ("Sidekick") and work to make changes to reduce intake of added
      sugars together. Given the frequent intake of SSB in this population, the intervention will
      focus on reducing added sugar intake through the reduced consumption of SSB. Peer Educators
      will participate in 6 core group sessions over a 6-week period as well as 3 additional
      booster sessions after completing the core curriculum. All sessions will be delivered by a
      facilitator and assistant facilitator using a guide. All groups will be held in a room in
      each public housing development's administrative building.
    

Intervention name(s): Social network intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The intervention combined a social network approach with strategies that address public housing residents' challenges related to the built environment to improve dietary habits. Given the frequent intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in this population, the intervention focused on reducing added sugar intake through the reduced consumption of SSB.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment