Strong Teens for Healthy Schools (STHS) is a school-based, civic engagement program that empowers middle school students to improve their physical activity and healthy eating behaviors, improve their cardiovascular disease outcomes, and create positive change in their school health environments.
> 50 6th and 7th grade students
> 40% economically disadvantaged students
> 40% Black and Hispanic students
6th or 7th grade student
Attend a Title 1 middle school that is participating in the STHS intervention
Read and understand English
Participation in a weight loss program in the past 3 months
Parallel
STHS Intervention
BehavioralSTHS program The intervention group (10 schools) will participate in the STHS program. During the fall semester (September to December), the intervention group will receive 24 thirty-minute modules (or twelve 1-hour modules) that provide education on civic engagement, healthy eating, and physical activity. During the spring semester (February to May), the intervention group will receive 24 thirty-minute modules (or twelve 1-hour modules) that focus on implementing the school health environmental change project and receive support for maintaining individual-level healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.
Usual Care
BehavioralNo STHS program The usual care group will be offered the same activities as the intervention group after the conclusion of the research study.
Presence or absence of metabolic syndrome (MetS)
MetS is present after identifying abdominal obesity plus at least two of the four other MetS Risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low HDL cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels. MetS = (abdominal obesity) + (2 of 4 other MetS Risk factors) Measures to determine MetS risk factors: 1. Abdominal obesity: waist circumference \>90th percentile for child's sex and age 2. High blood pressure: systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg) 3. High blood glucose: blood glucose ≥5.6 mmol/L or known diabetes 4. Low HDL cholesterol: HDL cholesterol \<1.03 mmol/L 5. High triglyceride level: Triglyceride level ≥ 1.7mmol/L
Change in the number of MetS risk factors
Change in the number of MetS risk factors = (new # of MetS risk factors) - (original # of MetS risk factors) Measures to determine MetS risk factors: 1. Abdominal obesity: waist circumference \>90th percentile for child's sex and age 2. High blood pressure: systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg) 3. High blood glucose: blood glucose ≥5.6 mmol/L or known diabetes 4. Low HDL cholesterol: HDL cholesterol \<1.03 mmol/L 5. High triglyceride level: Triglyceride level ≥ 1.7mmol/L
Positive Youth Development score
Positive youth development will be measured using a 5 C's Model of Positive Youth Development Scale-Short Form (PYD-SF): A 34-item scale that assesses the strength of psychological, behavioral, and social development in youth. The five dimensions measured are: 1. Competence (sense of proficiency) 2. Confidence (self-worth, self-efficacy) 3. Character (adherence to societal and cultural rules) 4. Connection (bonds with people and institutions) 5. Caring (sympathy and empathy towards others)
Blood pressure level
Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) will be measured with two numbers using an automated Omron sphygmomanometer.
Concentration of blood glucose
Glucose will be measured using a portable Cholestech LDX analyzer to assess a single capillary blood sample following an overnight fast.
Waist circumference
Waist circumference will be measured at the midpoint between the floating rib and iliac crest using a tape measure.
Concentration of HDL cholesterol
HDL-C will be measured using a portable Cholestech LDX analyzer to assess a single capillary blood sample following an overnight fast.
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Texas A&M University
Lead sponsor
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Collaborator
