Obesity Randomized Control Trial

Randomized Control Trial on Obesity
Funding Justification
The health of children is significantly, negatively affected by obesity. The effects last through to one’s adult life. Obesity prevention initiatives are, therefore, seriously regarded across the globe and remain a priority. The urge for interventions based on evidence is overwhelming in modern day healthcare practice; more so for families with obese or overweight parents. A randomized control trial is, therefore, necessary (Johansson et al. 2016). This “Early STOPP” RCT focuses on obese or overweight parents that have infants. The intervention measures are began when children have hit one year and goes on until the age of six. The intervention is carried out by a specialist (a physiotherapist, a nurse or a therapist). The main aspects of the family Early STOPP measures are informed by recommendations from Swedish health experts for CHCC. They include advice on choices of foods that promote good health, heightened physical activity, how to regulate sleeping patterns and reducing sedentary lifestyles (Sobko et al. 2011).
In summary, 200 families from various educational, ethnic and socio-economic background, with children aged 12 months are being enlisted currently. The families included constitute of at least an obese parent with a BMI of 30 or greater than 30, or two parents that are overweight ( BMI greater than or equal to 25) For the purposes of guaranteeing a baseline equivalence and reducing bias in selection, the obese and overweight parents are randomized by being assigned a random number generated by a computer, created by a statistician that is blinded to what is referred to as the Highly Intensive Intervention and the Low Intensive Intervention( HII and LII) groups. The outcome of the intervention is made known to the families at baseline, before the initial intervention session. A reference children group (n+50) with parents with lean bodies is recruited so as to boost the validity of the measurements (Sobko et al. 2011).
The Study objectives are facilitated by the funding
The Early STOPP RCT seeks to establish whether interventions targeted at pre-school children with one or both overweight parents can deter the occurrence of obesity and being overweight. In particular, it seeks to:
· Compare the changes in BMI-sds in children from one to six years in families under control and intervention
· Identify habits that promote the well being of at-risk patients and contribute to reducing obesity incidents
· Establish the possibility to start and maintain healthy life practices with regard to PA, eating habits and sleep in 1-6 year olds
· To examine the interaction that occurs between factors that hold potential for an increase in weight in the age group ( eating patterns, sleeping patterns, social factors to do with the family and intestinal bacteria), and how such factors influence the prevention of obesity among children between 1 to 6 years.
· To unveil and analyze intervention barriers (Sobko et al. 2011)
Benefits of the Study
The Early STOPP design seeks to overcome previous research weaknesses by enlisting participants from a population that is better characterized. It defines an intervention that is based on a theory, and is feasible; one that assesses multiple measurements meant for the validation and interpretation of the effectiveness of the program. Obesity prevention seems more effective in the early years. In my considered view, this RCT is the first ever study that seeks to show whether an early intervention program based on eating healthy foods, reduced sedentary lifestyle and normalized patterns of sleep could work against obesity and overweight occurrence. If it proves as much, Early STOP will protect children from becoming overweight and obese (Sobko et al. 2011).
Children placed in the intervention group are expected to exhibit lower gain in BMI, to eat more vegetables and fruits and to cut down on junk foods. They are also expected to show more physical activity involvement and reduce practices such as watching TV for long hours. The study also seeks to fight multi-prong obesity predisposing practices such as physical inactivity, poor diet, and poor sleeping patterns. It aims at establishing the effectiveness of the program in preventing the incidence of obesity among children between the ages of 1 to 6, with overweight or obese parents. This strategy highlights the approach in the recruitment phase (Sobko et al. 2011).
References
Sobko, T., Svensson, V., Ek, A., Ekstedt, M., Karlsson, H., Johansson, E., ... & Marcus, C. (2011). A randomised controlled trial for overweight and obese parents to prevent childhood obesity-Early STOPP (STockholm Obesity Prevention Program). BMC Public Health, 11(1), 336.
Johansson, E., Mei, H., Xiu, L., Svensson, V., Xiong, Y., Marcus, C., ... & Hagströmer, M. (2016). Physical activity in young children and their parents–An Early STOPP Sweden–China comparison study. Scientific reports, 6, 29595.