Mobile Health Intervention for Childhood Obesity
Trial Summary
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Mobile Health Intervention for Reducing Sweet Beverage Consumption in the clinical trial for childhood obesity?
Research shows that mobile health (mHealth) interventions, which use mobile phones to promote healthy behaviors, have been effective in improving eating habits and managing weight. These interventions can help reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks, like sweet beverages, by encouraging healthier choices and providing real-time feedback.12345
Is the Mobile Health Intervention for Childhood Obesity safe for humans?
How is the Mobile Health Intervention for Childhood Obesity treatment different from other treatments?
This treatment is unique because it uses mobile health (mHealth) technology to reduce sweet beverage consumption and improve literacy through a parent-child reading program, making it accessible and cost-effective for families, especially those in socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Unlike traditional treatments, it leverages digital tools for real-time feedback and remote delivery, which can enhance engagement and support long-term behavior change.211121314
What is the purpose of this trial?
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is a major contributor to childhood obesity, caries, fatty liver disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Latino children are more likely to consume sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and to suffer from all of the aforementioned conditions. Reading out loud to children from birth through age 5 is critical for the promotion of language and early literacy skills. Children whose parents read aloud to them are more likely to start school with the skills required for early reading success. This is important as reading proficiency in third grade is the best predictor of high school graduation and career success. Latino children are less likely to be read to than non-Hispanic white children and at higher risk of entering kindergarten without critical early literacy skills. Thus, there is a pressing need for interventions to reduce SSB consumption among Latino children as well as interventions that promote reading out loud. Primary care is an optimal setting for such interventions. However, multiple demands on providers' time make it difficult to rely on in-person interventions. For this reason, it is critical to test intervention designs that do not rely directly on health care providers and that can be delivered remotely if needed. The investigators have developed two m-health interventions for Latino parents, one that promotes optimal beverage consumption patterns and one that promotes reading out loud to children. The purpose of this study is to test the impact of these interventions on child beverage intake patterns and the frequency with which parents read to children.
Research Team
Amy L Beck, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator
University of California, San Francisco
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for Latino parents with children aged 1 to 5 who have a cell phone capable of receiving texts. Parents must speak English or Spanish. It aims to address childhood obesity by changing beverage consumption and improving early literacy through reading.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Intervention
Parents receive m-health interventions promoting optimal beverage consumption and reading to children
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in beverage consumption and reading frequency
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Beverage Intervention
- Reading Intervention
Beverage Intervention is already approved in United States for the following indications:
- Childhood Obesity Prevention
- Reduction of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of California, San Francisco
Lead Sponsor