School and Family-Based Obesity Prevention in Pakistani Primary School Children

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Childhood Obesity Pevention

In brief

Childhood obesity is increasing rapidly in Pakistan, but there are no large, high-quality studies testing ways to prevent it in schools. This study aims to find out if a 9-month program involving health education, daily physical activity, parent workshops, and regular feedback via WhatsApp or SMS can reduce the number of primary school children who are overweight or obese. The study is a cluster randomized controlled trial. A total of 26 primary schools in three cities of Punjab (Lahore, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar) will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (13 schools) or the control group (13 schools). Children in grades 3, 4, and 5 (aged 6-12 years) will take part. In the intervention schools, children will receive 18 health education sessions, daily 45 minutes of physical activity, and monthly weight and height checks. Parents will attend three workshops and receive weekly messages and monthly feedback on their child's progress via WhatsApp or SMS. The control schools will continue their usual activities and receive the intervention materials after the study ends. The main outcome is the change in the proportion of children who are overweight or obese from the start of the study to 9 months later. Secondary outcomes include changes in BMI z-score, waist circumference, physical activity, eating habits, and parents' knowledge. A follow-up assessment at 12 months will check if any benefits last. Recruitment of schools and children began on January 8, 2026. This is the first cluster randomized trial of its kind in Pakistan. The results will help inform childhood obesity prevention policies in low- and middle-income countries.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07616232

Run by

Central South University

People needed

2340

Starts

2025-12-08

Expected to finish

2026-12-08

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-02

Who can join

Age: 6 and older, up to 12. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Children aged 6-12 years enrolled in grades 3, 4, or 5 of selected primary schools in Lahore, Sahiwal, or Bahawalnagar, Pakistan
• Written informed consent provided by parent or primary caregiver
• Child assent obtained
• Children without any medical conditions that prevent participation in physical activities

You may not qualify if…

• Medical history of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, asthma, hepatitis, or nephritis
• Obesity caused by endocrine diseases or side effects of drugs
• Abnormal physical development (e.g., dwarfism, gigantism)
• Physical deformity (e.g., severe scoliosis, pectus carinatum, limp, obvious O-leg or X-leg)
• Inability to participate in school sport activities
• Weight loss by vomiting or taking drugs during the past three months
• Participation in another obesity prevention or treatment program
• For schools: planned relocation or cancellation within the next two years

Where it is running

• Selected Primary Schools in Lahore, Sahiwal, and Bahawalnagar, Punjab, Pakistan — Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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