Mentoring to be Active for Rural Appalachia Children

Physical Activity Clinical Trial

Official title: Mentoring to be Active: Peer Mentoring to Mitigate Obesity and Extreme Obesity in Rural Appalachian Children

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The innovative MPBA+F begins with peer-to-peer mentoring followed by structured parental/family support for long-term reinforcement of PA behaviors. Building and reinforcing skills, MPBA+F mitigates resource stressors and strengthens protective factors by providing culturally appropriate knowledge and skills to improve the sustainability of physical activity at home without the use of exercise equipment. By strengthening social support through peer and friendship networks and family-based support, MPBA+F responds to the unique needs of rural Appalachians in a culturally responsive way. This study targets physical activity among children with overweight, obesity, or extreme obesity because rural Appalachian communities identify sedentary activity as a key contributor to the high rates of obesity and diabetes risk among youth.

Clinical Trial Description

Appalachians die more frequently and at younger ages from obesity-related conditions than those living elsewhere. High prevalence of overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity in Appalachian children increases the severity of diabetes. In rural Appalachia, the diabetes mortality rate is 11% higher than the national rate.Over the course of two years, this study will test the effects of the Mentored Planning to be Active + Family intervention on physical activity outcomes (MVPA, exercise "bouts", sedentary behavior) and health outcomes (body composition: BMI, body fat, % body fat, weight) among rural Appalachian 7/8th grade children suffering from overweight and obesity. Having teens deliver the content via structured peer mentoring increases social support, motivation, and self-regulation to sustain PA behaviors to improve health outcomes as children enter high school. Using local residents for intervention delivery leverages rural Appalachians' preference to receive health information via established social networks and extends delivery of the program into the community. This study is a community-based randomized controlled trial targeting 7th grade students in rural Appalachia. Half (n = 144) will receive MPBA+F; the other half (n = 144) will receive self-guided (usual care) modules. Tenth-grade (n = 73) students from the same rural Appalachian counties will serve as peer mentors delivering MPBA for the peer mentoring group. Parents will provide a family reinforcement program during 8th grade and provide assessments of child behaviors and health outcomes. The long-term goal is to reduce the high rates of OW, OB/EO and type 2 diabetes in Appalachia youth through effective, sustainable interventions. Improving self-regulation, self-efficacy, and social support to increase intentional exercise and MVPA among underserved youth suffering from early-onset OB/EO builds healthier lifestyle behaviors at a critical development time. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Body Composition
• Exercise
• Physical Activity

• NCT number: NCT05758441
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Ohio State University
• Contact: Laureen Smith, PhD
• Phone: 614-292-4578
• Email: smith.5764@osu.edu
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 7, 2023
• Completion date: November 14, 2025