Canine Health Education for Adolescent Obesity

(BW Trial)

Overseen By Alexis Deavenport-Saman, DrPH

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Disqualifiers: Normal BMI, Do not own dog

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: 7 weeks

208 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a new approach that adds dog health education to a family lifestyle program for overweight or obese adolescents who own dogs. The goal is to use the bond between kids and their pets to boost physical activity and improve health habits. Fitness trackers and mobile assessments will help measure the program's impact.

Research Team

Larry Yin, MD, MSPH

Principal Investigator

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for caregivers and their overweight or obese children aged 9-17 who own a dog. It aims to tackle obesity by incorporating dogs into the family's lifestyle changes. Those with a normal BMI or without a dog cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

You must have a dog as a pet.

I am between 9 and 17 years old and considered overweight or obese.

I am a caregiver of an overweight child aged 9-17.

Exclusion Criteria

Participants with a normal BMI

You must own a dog to participate.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Orientation

Participants receive an orientation session as part of the BodyWorks program

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants engage in the BodyWorks program with the Canine Health Literacy module, using physical activity trackers and ecological momentary assessments

7 weeks

Weekly sessions (in-person or virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in physical activity and affect after the intervention

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• BodyWorks Intervention
• Canine Curriculum
• Ecological Momentary Assessment
• Physical Activity Trackers

Trial Overview The study tests an innovative Canine Health-Literacy module within the BodyWorks program, using tools like physical activity trackers and ecological momentary assessment to improve health behaviors in dog-owning families.

Participant Groups

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 4 Interventions

Half of the BodyWorks families will be randomized to the intervention group, and will receive a PAT for the children, the parents, and the dogs at the beginning of the cycle; the children will respond to EMA surveys using a cell phone; the children and the parents will receive the Canine health literacy module in addition to the BW curriculum.

Group II: Control Active Control 3 Interventions

Half of the BodyWorks participants will be randomized to the control group and will receive a PAT at the beginning of the cycle for the children, the parents, and the dogs, and the children will respond to EMA surveys using cell phones.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Lead Sponsor

Trials

257

Recruited

5,075,000+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

University of Southern California

Collaborator

Trials

956

Recruited

1,609,000+

Tufts Medical Center

Collaborator

Trials

264

Recruited

264,000+