Healthy Buddies Manitoba

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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School-based interventions are generally ineffective for preventing weight gain in children. In 2007, a group from the University of British Columbia, developed a program called Healthy Buddies, that relied on peer mentors to help young children adopt healthy living behaviours. Pilot studies revealed that the program effectively prevented weight gain in children. This trial had never been tested on a large scale using a more scientifically sound study design. We developed a large school-based randomized trial to overcome that limitation and test the hypothesis that that a school-based peer-led healthy living program would reduce adiposity and increase physical activity among children 6-12yrs old.

Official Title
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Healthy Buddies Manitoba: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Effectiveness Trial of Peer Mentoring for Healthy Eights in Children.

Conditions
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Healthy Children, Elementary School Age, Rural and Urban, First Nations

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Healthy Buddies Curriculum


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Participating schools need to meet the following eligibility criteria: (1) were within provincial jurisdiction, (2) had a minimum of 200 students per school, (3) offered grades 1 through 6. Exclusion Criteria: Children will be excluded if consent was not received from parents or if they had a condition that limited participation in physical activity.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 7 Years
Maximum Age: 12 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: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Healthy Buddies Curriculum<br>Healthy buddies curriculum delivered by older peers weekly covering three components of healthy living: Physical activity, healthy eating and a healthy body image. | Other: Healthy Buddies Curriculum<br>* Each week, intermediate students will receive a 45-minute healthy-living lesson plan from their classroom teacher. Later that week, intermediate students will serve as peer mentors (Buddies), teaching a 30-minute lesson to their younger students. The Physical activity (i.e.Go Move!) component of the lesson plans includes 30-minutes of structured aerobic fitness sessions, called fitness loops, with the student pairs twice weekly. The dietary (Go Fuel!) component includes lessons about distinguishing nutritious and from unhealthy (nutrient poor-energy rich) foods and beverages. The body image (Go Feel Good!) component, the students are taught to value classmates based on individual traits rather than peer influence.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>This group received standard school curriculum. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Waist circumference | Waist circumference at the top of the iliac crest measured in duplicate with a flexible tape. | 10 months | 
| BMI-Z score | Body mass index Z score is calculated from weight/height2 and normalized to population normative data for age (months) and sex. | 10 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Physical activity | Objectively measured using daily pedometer counts recorded by teachers. | 10 months | 
| Healthy living knowledge and behaviours | Questionnaires regarding healthy foods and food frequency. | 10 months | 
| Self efficacy | Questionnaire. | 10 months |