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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04250896

mHealth for Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Mexico

Background: The sending of text messages (short messaging service, SMS) has been proven as an effective strategy in behavior change. In Mexico, the Strategy of Comprehensive Care for the Nutrition (EsIAN for its acronym in Spanish ) focuses on improving access to information for the main caregivers of child beneficiaries on the practice of infant feeding and healthy physical activity.

Objective: To assess whether the mHealth (or mobile health) strategy or the sending of SMS has an effect on knowledge, attitudes, intentionality, perceived control and practices to prevent childhood malnutrition in a population living in poverty.

Design: Randomized effectiveness trial by conglomerates. Participants: 400 primary caregivers of children <59 months and health personnel working in the health units included in the study.

Control group: Healthy child care in standard health units plus exposure to EsIAN.

Intervention group: In addition to the control group, the SMS are sent through a cell pone through the RapidPro platform on practices related to prevention of child malnutrition (in primary caregivers) and the reinforcement of counseling for the prevention of infant malnutrition (with health personnel).

Randomization: The first level health units were stratified by state (Morelos or Yucatan); rural and urban area and affiliation institution (Secretary of Health or Mexican Institute of Social Security); and randomized to be assigned to the control or intervention group; 400 primary caregivers of children <59 months in total will be included for the study.

Main measures of interest: State of nutrition and knowledge, attitudes or practices on breastfeeding, physical activity, adoption and preparation of healthy foods and beverages in primary caregivers of children<5 years old; and advice on the key messages of EsIAN by health providers.

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Key information

Conditions

Overweight and Obesity Body Weight Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Obesity Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

Up to 59 month

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Ministry of Health of Morelos State

Cuernavaca, Mexico

About this study

RapidPro is a tecnological platform of programming of short messaging service (SMS) for cell phone.

Morelos is the name of one of the central states of Mexico Yucatan is the name of one of the south states of Mexico

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Primary caregivers whose beneficiaries children are cared in the health units selected for the study and who have a cell pone in home
  • Health personnel who provides services to Prospera population in the health units selected for the study and that have a cell pone
  • Primary caregiver, must care for at least one child under 60 months users of the health units selected for the study

Exclusion criteria

  • Primary caregivers and health personnel who do not have a cell pone or who do not have connectivity in their communities
  • Health personnel, who have been in office for a least 3 months

Treatment and study plan

Control Group

Other

Standard child care in health unit plus exposure to EsIAN

SMS´s sending by cell phone for behavior change

Behavioral

SMS messages sent through a cell pone through the RapidPro platform on practices related to the prevention of infant malnutrition to primary caregivers and the strengthening of counseling for the prevention of infant malnutrition with health providers.

Primary outcomes

  1. prevalence of overweight and obesity

    Time frame: basal and through study completion, an average of 9 months.

    Through the measurements of weight and height to children under 60 months, the estimator of body mass index adjusted for age will be calculated to determine prevalence of overweight (+1 SD. Z score ) and obesity (+2 SD Z score).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Proportion of caregivers / mothers with correct infant feeding practices scale

    Time frame: basal and through study completion, an average of 9 months.

    Practices related to breastfeeding, complementary food and healthy nutrition during childhood (scale of 0-20 values , which high scores >15 is correct)

  2. Proportion of caregivers / mothers with correct physical activity practices scale

    Time frame: basal and through study completion, an average of 9 months.

    Practices of physical activity to less 5 years old (scale of 0-20 values , which high scores >15 is correct)

Other outcomes

  1. knowledge and attitudes related to infant feeding practices and physical activity of child

    Time frame: basal and through study completion, an average of 9 months.

    scales of knowledge and attitudes about nutrition and physical activity of the child (scale of 0-5 values, which high scores is agreement or very important)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Mexican National Institute of Public Health

Other Gov

Collaborators

  • UNICEF

Registry information

Official study title

Using Behavioral Science and mHealth Tools for Early Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Mexico

Acronym: mHealth

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2021
First posted
Jan 31, 2020
Registry last updated
Sep 14, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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