Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.

<h4>Introduction</h4>This paper presents the protocol for the effectiveness-implementation trial: Systems Thinking with Active Implementation Research (STAIR) for childhood obesity prevention. STAIR's objective is to protect primary school children in Victoria, Australia from unheal...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Michelle Jackson, Jillian Whelan, Steven Allender, Luke Wolfenden, Melanie Nichols, Vicki Brown, Sze Lin Yoong, Liliana Orellana, Kristy A Bolton, Penelope Love, Prabhat Lamichhane, Nicole Nathan, Colin Bell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325853
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849427949178060800
author Michelle Jackson
Jillian Whelan
Steven Allender
Luke Wolfenden
Melanie Nichols
Vicki Brown
Sze Lin Yoong
Liliana Orellana
Kristy A Bolton
Penelope Love
Prabhat Lamichhane
Nicole Nathan
Colin Bell
author_facet Michelle Jackson
Jillian Whelan
Steven Allender
Luke Wolfenden
Melanie Nichols
Vicki Brown
Sze Lin Yoong
Liliana Orellana
Kristy A Bolton
Penelope Love
Prabhat Lamichhane
Nicole Nathan
Colin Bell
author_sort Michelle Jackson
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>This paper presents the protocol for the effectiveness-implementation trial: Systems Thinking with Active Implementation Research (STAIR) for childhood obesity prevention. STAIR's objective is to protect primary school children in Victoria, Australia from unhealthy weight and test implementation strategies for sustaining healthy school environments. STAIR is a 3-year cluster-randomised controlled trial with repeat-cross-sectional child-level data collection utilising an effectiveness-implementation type-1 hybrid design. Schools will be recruited from non-metropolitan government primary schools in Southwest Victoria, Australia, with consenting schools (target = 28) randomly assigned (1:1) to intervention or control, and students in grades 1-6 (n = 3000-6000) recruited using an opt-out approach.<h4>Intervention</h4>The intervention, co-designed by each school community, will involve multi-step group model building and action formulation process using community-based systems dynamics and baseline data (i.e., child weight status, HRQoL, health behaviours, and school environment characteristics). Implementation strategies will be guided by an active implementation framework, and coordinated by a leadership team of school representatives, community partners, and researchers.<h4>Primary and secondary outcome measures</h4>Primary outcomes are to measure (1) change in standardised body mass index (z-BMI) between intervention and control groups after three year and (2) change in acceptance and adoption of STAIR interventions and support. Secondary outcomes include differences in obesity prevalence, health behaviour measures and HRQoL, between intervention and control groups after three years. Implementation outcomes will focus on strategy effectiveness, acceptability, and utilisation. Secondary data will be collected from schools and partner organisations. An economic evaluation will assess the cost-effectiveness of intervention and implementation support.<h4>Conclusion</h4>STAIR aims to create lasting changes in schools to prevent childhood obesity by supporting healthy environments and providing insights into interventions' cost-effectiveness and feasibility. The findings will guide policymakers and educational institutions in adopting sustainable health promotion strategies.<h4>Trial registration</h4>ANZCTR-ACTRN12624000461594p.
format Article
id doaj-art-8290459958824637be433e38e40985f6
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-8290459958824637be433e38e40985f62025-08-20T03:28:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032585310.1371/journal.pone.0325853Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.Michelle JacksonJillian WhelanSteven AllenderLuke WolfendenMelanie NicholsVicki BrownSze Lin YoongLiliana OrellanaKristy A BoltonPenelope LovePrabhat LamichhaneNicole NathanColin Bell<h4>Introduction</h4>This paper presents the protocol for the effectiveness-implementation trial: Systems Thinking with Active Implementation Research (STAIR) for childhood obesity prevention. STAIR's objective is to protect primary school children in Victoria, Australia from unhealthy weight and test implementation strategies for sustaining healthy school environments. STAIR is a 3-year cluster-randomised controlled trial with repeat-cross-sectional child-level data collection utilising an effectiveness-implementation type-1 hybrid design. Schools will be recruited from non-metropolitan government primary schools in Southwest Victoria, Australia, with consenting schools (target = 28) randomly assigned (1:1) to intervention or control, and students in grades 1-6 (n = 3000-6000) recruited using an opt-out approach.<h4>Intervention</h4>The intervention, co-designed by each school community, will involve multi-step group model building and action formulation process using community-based systems dynamics and baseline data (i.e., child weight status, HRQoL, health behaviours, and school environment characteristics). Implementation strategies will be guided by an active implementation framework, and coordinated by a leadership team of school representatives, community partners, and researchers.<h4>Primary and secondary outcome measures</h4>Primary outcomes are to measure (1) change in standardised body mass index (z-BMI) between intervention and control groups after three year and (2) change in acceptance and adoption of STAIR interventions and support. Secondary outcomes include differences in obesity prevalence, health behaviour measures and HRQoL, between intervention and control groups after three years. Implementation outcomes will focus on strategy effectiveness, acceptability, and utilisation. Secondary data will be collected from schools and partner organisations. An economic evaluation will assess the cost-effectiveness of intervention and implementation support.<h4>Conclusion</h4>STAIR aims to create lasting changes in schools to prevent childhood obesity by supporting healthy environments and providing insights into interventions' cost-effectiveness and feasibility. The findings will guide policymakers and educational institutions in adopting sustainable health promotion strategies.<h4>Trial registration</h4>ANZCTR-ACTRN12624000461594p.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325853
spellingShingle Michelle Jackson
Jillian Whelan
Steven Allender
Luke Wolfenden
Melanie Nichols
Vicki Brown
Sze Lin Yoong
Liliana Orellana
Kristy A Bolton
Penelope Love
Prabhat Lamichhane
Nicole Nathan
Colin Bell
Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.
PLoS ONE
title Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.
title_full Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.
title_fullStr Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.
title_full_unstemmed Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.
title_short Systems thinking with active implementation research (STAIR): Protocol for a school-based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention.
title_sort systems thinking with active implementation research stair protocol for a school based randomised control trial for childhood obesity prevention
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325853
work_keys_str_mv AT michellejackson systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT jillianwhelan systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT stevenallender systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT lukewolfenden systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT melanienichols systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT vickibrown systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT szelinyoong systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT lilianaorellana systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT kristyabolton systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT penelopelove systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT prabhatlamichhane systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT nicolenathan systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention
AT colinbell systemsthinkingwithactiveimplementationresearchstairprotocolforaschoolbasedrandomisedcontroltrialforchildhoodobesityprevention