Mobile-based intervention intended to stop obesity in pre-school children: The MINISTOP RCT: Christine Delisle Nyström

Background

Traditional obesity prevention programs are time and cost intensive. Mobile phone technology (mHealth) has been successful for behavior change/weight management in adults. We investigated the effect of a mHealth obesity prevention program on body fat, dietary habits and physical activity as well as parental self-efficacy (PSE) in healthy, Swedish 4.5-year-olds after 6 and 12 months.

Methods

315 children were randomized into the intervention or control group. Parents in the intervention group received a 6-month mHealth program. The outcomes were fat mass index (FMI) and intakes of fruits, vegetables, candy, and sweetened beverages, and time spent sedentary and in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at 6 and 12 month follow-ups. Composite scores for the primary and secondary outcomes were computed. The Parental Self-Efficacy for Promoting Healthy Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviors in Children Scale Questionnaire by Bohman et al. was used to assess PSE at baseline and 6 and 12 month follow-ups.

Results

At 6-months, the intervention group increased their average composite score from baseline to follow-up whereas the control group did not (+0.36±1.47 vs. -0.06±1.33 units; p = 0.021). This improvement was more pronounced in the children with a FMI above the median (p = 0.019). The odds of increasing the composite score for the dietary and physical activity behaviors were 99% higher for the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.008). Furthermore, preliminary results indicate that compared to the control group, the intervention group reported increased parental self-efficacy scores after the intervention (2.6±10 vs. -1.7±10; p = 0.01). The corresponding results at 12 months are under evaluation and will be presented at the conference.

Conclusions

The intervention group showed a significantly higher post-intervention composite score than the control group. Our results also indicate that the effect may be mediated by an improved parental PSE.

Key messages:

• mHealth interventions (e.g. MINISTOP) show promising results in aiding young children to change unhealthy behaviors.

• mHealth interventions have the potential to be implemented into child healthcare at a low cost.