School-based Behavioural Intervention to Face Obesity and Promote Cardiovascular Health Among Spanish Adolescents

Summary

Background and objective:

There is an alarming increase in obesity and unhealthy lifestyles in adolescents. This issue threatens to have a highly negative health and socioeconomic impact in the near future. The only way to tackle this epidemic is to implement effective preventive strategies able to positively impact on youth lifestyle behaviours. The school is the most appropriate environment for such an intervention. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive educational school-based intervention in adolescents on cardiovascular health, including obesity/adiposity and metabolic profiles. The project consortium constitutes a unique framework of research groups at the forefront of novel and successful approaches aiming to healthier behaviours and dietary habits.

Methodology:

A cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 24 secondary schools in Spain will be carried out. Schools will be 1:1:1 randomized to receive a short-term (2-year) or a long-term (4-year) comprehensive educational program, or to receive the usual curriculum (control). Participants will be evaluated at baseline, and after 2 and 4 years with the following: weight scale, circumference measuring tape, bioelectrical impedance, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, sphygmomanometer, blood analysis, saliva and urine analysis, accelerometers, and questionnaires. The primary outcome is the change in obesity and other health parameters from baseline to year 2 and 4, as assessed by the Ideal Cardiovascular Health score. Secondary outcomes include the change in adiposity, anthropometry and body composition parameters, physical activity and dietary habits, polyphenol and carotenoid intake, metabolomics and attitudes. Participants will be measured again when they reach 20 years old.

Expected results:

The investigators expects to show that a school-based educational intervention induces favorable lifestyle changes and improves cardiovascular health among Spanish adolescents, including obesity/adiposity and metabolic profiles. If successful, this strategy could be widely adopted having a meaningful effect on obesity and cardiovascular health promotion. Additionally, associations between health parameters and bioactive dietary compounds intake and metabolic profiles will be stablished.

Conditions

• Obesity
• Cardiovascular Health
• Diabetes Mellitus

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Long-term educational program

Comprehensive educational school-based intervention in adolescents on cardiovascular health, including obesity/adiposity and metabolic profiles, through classroom intervention, and complementary intervention in the family setting, at school and on teachers.

BEHAVIORAL

Short-term educational program

Comprehensive educational school-based intervention in adolescents on cardiovascular health, including obesity/adiposity and metabolic profiles, through classroom intervention, and complementary intervention in the family setting, at school and on teachers.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• SHE Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Fundació La Marató de TV3

  collaborator OTHER

• Obra social La Caixa

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of Barcelona

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Rosa M Lamuela-Raventós, PhD · University of Barcelona

• Gloria Santos-Beneit, PhD · SHE Foundation

• Juan M Fernández Alvira, PhD · Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III

• Valentín Fuster, PhD, MD · Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

11 Years

Max Age

16 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-06-01

Primary Completion

2021-06-30

Completion

2025-06-30

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations