Tundra Gifts: Harvesting Local And Regional Resources To Prevent Obesity Among Alaska Native Children In Remote, Underserved Communities

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The long-term goal of this community based participatory research project is to prevent obesity in 3-5 year old Alaska Native children in remote communities. Investigators will design and evaluate a culturally responsive, home-focused intervention, Tundra Gifts, that links early childhood education programming (i.e. Head Start) and federal food assistance programs (i.e. WIC and SNAP) with primary caregivers to support healthy eating and an active lifestyle using a cluster-randomized design. The intervention integrates behavior change theory with Indigenous traditional knowledge. Primary caregivers will attend monthly interactive education session, receive a monthly gift basket that includes resources and supplies to support behavior change at home and receive ongoing social support through a Facebook site. Investigators will also evaluate key process indicators of Tundra Gifts to understand the impact on outcomes of variations in persons and settings and to enhance the generalizability of findings.

Official Title
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Tundra Gifts: Harvesting Local And Regional Resources To Prevent Obesity Among Alaska Native Children In Remote, Underserved Communities

Conditions
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Childhood Obesity

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Tundra Gifts


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 3-5 year old children enrolled in Head Start and their primary caregiver in Yup'ik Alaska Native communities

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 3 Years
Maximum Age: 5 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Tundra gifts program<br> | Behavioral: Tundra Gifts<br>* Tundra Gifts is a home-focused intervention delivered by community health workers (CHW) that focuses on promoting healthy eating and an active lifestyle among 3-5 year olds through family and community partnerships. Primary caregivers will attend monthly interactive education session, receive a monthly gift basket that includes resources and supplies to support behavior change at home and receive ongoing social support through a Facebook site.<br>|
| No Intervention: Comparison<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles and z-scores |  | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in child intake of vegetables and fruit | 24-hour recall in combination with a 2-day food record | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in child intake of vegetables and fruit | Skin carotenoid meter using reflection spectroscopy (veggie-meter) | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in child intake of sugar sweetened beverages | Hair biomarker of sugar using N and C stable isotope ratios | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in child intake of sugar sweetened beverages | 24-hour recall in combination with a 2-day food record | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in child screen time | Screen time questionnaire | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in child physical activity | Physical activity questionnaire | twice annually for 3 years | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in adult attitudes and beliefs around healthy eating and active lifestyle | Attitudes and beliefs questionnaire | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in adult BMI |  | twice annually for 3 years | 
| Change in adult intake of vegetables and fruit | skin carotenoid meter using reflection spectroscopy (veggie-meter) | twice annually for 3 years | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Healthy Eating, Alaska Native, Traditional Foods