scholarly journals Testing a Web-Based Interactive Comic Tool to Decrease Obesity Risk Among Minority Preadolescents: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Control Trial (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
May May Leung ◽  
Katrina F Mateo ◽  
Sandra Verdaguer ◽  
Katarzyna Wyka
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
Dietary Behaviors ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Obesity Risk ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Potential Impact

BACKGROUND Childhood obesity is a public health crisis, particularly in low-income, minority populations in the United States. Innovative and technology-enhanced interventions may be an engaging approach to reach at-risk youth and their parents to improve dietary behaviors and feeding practices. However, such tools are limited, especially ones that are theory-based; co-developed with user-centered approaches; tailored to low-income, minority preadolescents; and include parent-focused content. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study include assessing the feasibility and acceptability and exploring the potential impact of the Intervention INC (Interactive Nutrition Comics for urban, minority preadolescents) Web-based tool, which is focused on decreasing childhood obesity risk in black/African American and Latino children aged 9 to 12 years. METHODS Intervention INC is underpinned by the narrative transportation theory, social cognitive theory, and health belief model, and it was co-developed by children and parents from the intended population. The child component consists of a 6-chapter interactive nutrition comic optimized for use on tablet devices, a goal-setting and self-assessment feature, and weekly text/email messages and reminders. The parental component consists of 6 Web-based newsletters, access to the child comic, and weekly text/email messages and reminders. The tool was evaluated using a pilot, single-blind, 2-group randomized controlled study design. Child-parent dyads were randomized to either the experimental or comparison group and assigned to a targeted behavior (increase fruit/vegetable or water intake) based on initial screening questions. Data were collected at 4 time points: baseline (T1), intervention midpoint (T2), intervention endpoint (T3), and 3 months postintervention (T4). Primary measures comprise usage, usability, and feasibility of the Web-based tool. Secondary measures comprise dietary knowledge, preferences, and intake and anthropometric measures (for child) and feeding practices and home food environment (for parent). RESULTS Study enrollment was completed in November 2017. A total of 89 child-parent dyads were randomized to either the experimental (n=44) or comparison (n=45) group. Data analysis is currently being conducted. CONCLUSIONS This study aims to implement and assess an innovative approach to deliver health messages and resources to at-risk minority preadolescents and their parents. If found to be acceptable, engaging, feasible, and a potential approach to improve dietary behaviors, a full-fledged randomized controlled trial will be conducted to assess its efficacy and potential impact. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03165474; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03165474 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73122IjgP) INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR RR1-10.2196/10682

scholarly journals Protocol for iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study): biopsychosocial predictors of childhood obesity risk at 2 years

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther M. Leerkes ◽  
Cheryl Buehler ◽  
Susan D. Calkins ◽  
Lenka H. Shriver ◽  
Laurie Wideman
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Maternal Sensitivity ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
Infant Growth ◽  
Obesity Risk ◽  
Development Study ◽  
Early Weight Gain ◽  
Infant Weight Gain

Abstract Background Childhood obesity remains a significant public health problem. To date, most research on the causes and correlates of obesity has focused on a small number of direct predictors of obesity rather than testing complex models that address the multifactorial nature of the origins of obesity in early development. We describe the rationale and methods of iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study) which will test multiple pathways by which (a) prenatal maternal psychobiological risk predicts infant weight gain over the first 6 months of life, and (b) this early weight gain confers risk for obesity at age 2. Infant hormonal and psychobiological risk are proposed mediators from prenatal risk to early weight gain, though these are moderated by early maternal sensitivity and obesogenic feeding practices. In addition, higher maternal sensitivity and lower obesogenic feeding practices are proposed predictors of adaptive child self-regulation in the second year of life, and all three are proposed to buffer/reduce the association between high early infant weight gain and obesity risk at age 2. Methods iGrow is a prospective, longitudinal community-based study of 300 diverse mothers and infants to be followed across 5 data waves from pregnancy until children are age 2. Key measures include (a) maternal reports of demographics, stress, well-being, feeding practices and child characteristics and health; (b) direct observation of maternal and infant behavior during feeding, play, and distress-eliciting tasks during which infant heart rate is recorded to derive measures of vagal withdrawal; (c) anthropometric measures of mothers and infants; and (d) assays of maternal prenatal blood and infant saliva and urine. A host of demographic and other potential confounds will be considered as potential covariates in structural equation models that include tests of mediation and moderation. Efforts to mitigate the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on study success are detailed. Discussion This study has the potential to inform (1) basic science about early life processes casually related to childhood obesity and (2) development of targeted intervention and prevention approaches that consider mother, infant, and family risks and resources.

scholarly journals A Web-Based Interactive Tool to Reduce Childhood Obesity Risk in Urban Minority Youth: Usability Testing Study (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Verdaguer ◽  
Katrina F Mateo ◽  
Katarzyna Wyka ◽  
Tracy A Dennis-Tiwary ◽  
May May Leung
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Usability Testing ◽  
Minority Youth ◽  
Obesity Risk ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Black African ◽  
Interactive Tool ◽  
Urban Minority ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
The Web

BACKGROUND Childhood obesity is a serious public health issue among minority youth in the United States. Technology-enhanced approaches can be effective for promoting healthy behavior change. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to test the usability of prototypes of a Web-based interactive tool promoting healthy dietary behaviors to reduce childhood obesity risk in urban minority youth. The Web-based tool comprised a manga-style comic with interactive features (eg, sound effects, clickable pop-ups), tailored messaging, and goal setting, and was optimized for use on tablet devices. METHODS Latino and black/African American children ages 9 to 13 years were recruited to participate in two rounds of usability testing. A modified think-aloud method was utilized. Self-reported surveys and field notes were collected. Audio recordings and field notes from usability testing sessions were systematically reviewed by extracting and coding user feedback as either positive comments or usability or negative issues. The quantitative data from self-reported questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Twelve children (four female; eight black/African American) with a mean age of 10.92 (SD 1.16) years participated. Testing highlighted overall positive experiences with the Web-based interactive tool, especially related to storyline, sound effects, and color schemes. Specific usability issues were classified into six themes: appearance, content, special effects, storyline, terminology, and navigation. Changes to the Web-based tool after round 1 included adding a navigation guide, making clickable icons more visible, improving graphic designs, and fixing programming errors. In round 2 of testing (after modifications to the Web-based tool were incorporated), many of the usability issues that were identified in round 1 did not emerge. CONCLUSIONS Results of testing will inform further development and finalization of the tool, which will be tested using a two-group pilot randomized study, with the goal of reducing childhood obesity risk in minority, low-income youth.

Blinded randomized controlled study of a web-based otoscopy simulator in undergraduate medical education

2016 ◽  
Vol 127 (6) ◽  
pp. 1306-1311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Stepniak ◽  
Brandon Wickens ◽  
Murad Husein ◽  
Josee Paradis ◽  
Hanif M. Ladak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Education ◽  
Randomized Controlled Study ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Randomized Controlled

scholarly journals Does a Dose Calculator as an Add-On to a Web-Based Paediatric Formulary Reduce Calculation Errors in Paediatric Dosing? A Non-Randomized Controlled Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tjitske M. van der Zanden ◽  
Matthijs de Hoog ◽  
Jonathan D. Windster ◽  
Joost van Rosmalen ◽  
I. Heleen van der Sijs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Study ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Randomized Controlled
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document