Active not recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

An Evaluation of "Growing Healthy Places: Mississauga"

This study, called "Growing Healthy Places: Mississauga," aims to see if specially designed community programmes can help children aged 6 to 13 make healthier choices with their eating and exercise habits. The main goal is to find out if these programmes improve children's quality of life and encourage better physical activity and diet over one to two years. Researchers will work with schools in Mississauga, Canada. Some schools will join the new programmes, while others will continue as usual. By comparing the children in both types of schools, the study hopes to learn if these community-led efforts can make a real difference to young people's health and well-being.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Brock University

Enrolment target

4,900

Start

16 Oct 2025

Estimated completion

01 Nov 2027

Quality of Life (QOL)Physical Activity Diet Quality Obesity &Amp; Overweight Body Esteem Community

What is this study about?

This study, called "Growing Healthy Places: Mississauga," is trying to find out if involving local communities in developing healthy eating and exercise programmes can really make a difference to children's health. It focuses on children aged 6 to 13 years old in Mississauga, Canada. The main idea is that if a community works together to create activities that encourage healthy living, children will benefit by eating better, being more active, and generally feeling better about their health.

Researchers want to answer two main questions. Firstly, they want to see if these community-organised activities improve how children feel about their health and their overall quality of life after one year and then again after two years. Secondly, they're looking to see if these activities actually get children to be more physically active and eat more healthily over the same time periods.

To do this, the study involves a number of elementary and middle schools. Some schools will be part of the "intervention" group, meaning their students will have access to these new community programmes. Other schools will be in the "control" group, and their students won't have these extra programmes. By comparing the results from children in both groups, the researchers hope to understand if the programmes make a real, positive impact on children's health. This kind of research is important because it could help design better programmes for children's healthy development in other communities too.

Key takeaways

The study looks at how community activities affect children's health.
It focuses on children aged 6-13 in Mississauga, Canada.
Children will complete anonymous questionnaires about their health habits.
Some schools will offer new health programmes; others will not.
The study lasts for two years, with surveys at the start, one year, and two years.
Participation could help improve health programmes for children everywhere.

Who may be eligible?

To take part in this study, children need to be between 6 and 13 years old (this includes children who are exactly 6 or exactly 13). They must also be in school, specifically in Grades 3 to 8, at one of the schools that has agreed to be part of the study.

Importantly, a parent or legal guardian must give their full permission for their child to join the study. This permission needs to be given before any information is collected. The child also needs to agree to take part on the day that data is collected.

Children cannot take part if their parent or guardian doesn't give full permission, or if they decide later to withdraw their child from the study. Also, if a child doesn't want to participate on the day they are asked to, they won't be included in the study.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Is my child aged 6 to 13 years old?
Is my child in Grade 3 to 8 at one of the participating schools?
Am I, as a parent or guardian, willing to give full written permission?
Is my child happy to take part in the occasional questionnaire?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If your child takes part in this study, they will continue to attend their regular elementary or middle school. The schools participating are located in specific areas of Mississauga, Canada. There are two types of schools involved: those that will receive new community-designed health programmes (intervention schools) and those that won't (control schools).

Your child won't need to take any new medication for this study. Their main involvement will be completing a simple, anonymous questionnaire. This questionnaire will ask about their general well-being, how much physical activity they do, and their eating habits. They will fill this out three times: once at the beginning of the study, again after one year, and finally after two years.

If your child is in an 'intervention' school, they will also have the chance to participate in various school and community programmes designed to encourage healthy eating and physical activity. The total duration of your child's involvement in the study, just for completing the questionnaires, will be about two years.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study might help us understand better ways to encourage healthy eating and active lifestyles for children, which could benefit the wider community in the future. For your child, if they are in an intervention school, they may have the chance to take part in new and exciting healthy lifestyle activities offered through their school and community. The main commitment for your child is filling out a few questionnaires over two years, which should not cause any discomfort. There are no major known risks associated with participating. You and your child have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting their schooling or involvement in any other activities.

Locations (1)

School Board
Verified postcode
Mississauga, Canada

Common questions

What is the main goal of this study?

The main goal is to see if community-organised activities can help children aged 6-13 improve their diet, exercise, and overall health in Mississauga, Canada.

How long will the study last for my child?

Your child's involvement in completing questionnaires will be over a period of two years.

Will my child have to take any medicine?

No, this study does not involve any medication whatsoever.

What does 'anonymous questionnaire' mean?

It means the questionnaire will not collect any personal details that could identify your child, so their answers will remain private.

Can I take my child out of the study if I change my mind?

Yes, you or your child can choose to stop participating at any time, for any reason, without any consequences.