Healthy Hydration Pilot in Elementary Schools

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hydration; Dental Caries; Body Mass Index

Treatments: Behavioral: Hydration Intervention; Other: Control - Assessments Only

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06132763

HM20023592

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will pilot a school-based stakeholder-informed hydration intervention and examine its feasibility and preliminary efficacy.

Full description

Adequate water intake plays an important role in maintaining children's overall health, cognitive performance, fine motor skills and visual attention. It also plays a role in the maintenance of healthy weight. Many children do not consume sufficient water, especially in school. There is also potential that by providing enhanced access to water, there will be corresponding decreases in sugary beverage intake. Sugary beverages have been implicated as major contributors of excessive sugar and calorie intake in children, leading to multiple health concerns, such as type 2 diabetes, overweight and obesity, and dental caries. Schools are an optimal environment to increase children's water intake. Healthy hydration is a priority for Richmond Public School (RPS), as they recently adopted a new hydration policy into their school wellness policy, with hydration stations installed in all RPS schools. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of a school-based hydration intervention. This study will pilot a school-based stakeholder-informed hydration intervention and examine its feasibility and preliminary efficacy.

Enrollment: 563 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion:

• Lunchroom observations: All students (K-5th) who eat lunch in the cafeteria on assessment days are eligible for lunchroom observations (observing what beverages are selected and presence of water bottles)
• BMI and dental caries assessments: 1) student is in the 3rd grade; 2) English or Spanish speaking.
• Student surveys: Students in 4th-5th grade are eligible to complete surveys assessing beverage intake and perceptions of hydration practices in their district.
• Staff surveys: All staff in the target schools will be eligible to complete the School Environment Survey.

Exclusion:

• Lunchroom observations: None.
• BMI and dental caries assessments: Students are ineligible if they: 1) are non-English or non-Spanish speaking; 2) have a medical condition that precludes drinking water or that can put them at risk for failure to thrive or poor weight gain, 2) are unable to complete assessments due to developmental delays, 3) plan to move from the school district during the study period.
• Student surveys: Students in 4th-5th grade who are unable to complete surveys due to developmental delays will be ineligible.
• Staff surveys: None.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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563 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Hydration Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Students and staff at the intervention school will receive a school-based hydration intervention that includes a student-developed marketing campaign and incentivizes water bottles in school.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Hydration Intervention

Control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Students and staff at the control school will participate in assessments only.

Treatment:

Other: Control - Assessments Only