Obesity & OverweightNCT07583459
Efficacy of Center-based Childcare to Mitigate Unhealthy Weight Gain in Preschoolers From Low-income Households During the Summer
A study testing Childcare in people with Obesity & Overweight, run by University of South Carolina at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Studies show that preschool-age children are especially vulnerable to accelerated weight gain during the summer, with those from low-income households (≤185% poverty level or Medicaid eligible - the target population for this study) exhibiting the greatest risk of unhealthy weight gain. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 3 to 5 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Obesity & Overweight
- What is being tested?
- Childcare
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 300 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 May 2026to 30 Jun 2030
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 3 to 5 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Children will need to be enrolled in a needs-based pre-K program in our partner organizations to be eligible to participate. No other exclusion criteria will be applied
Who cannot join
- -
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina, 29208
Michael Beets, PhD, 8037773003, beets@mailbox.sc.edu
About this study
Studies show that preschool-age children are especially vulnerable to accelerated weight gain during the summer, with those from low-income households (≤185% poverty level or Medicaid eligible - the target population for this study) exhibiting the greatest risk of unhealthy weight gain. Despite numerous interventions designed to prevent OWOB, none target preschoolers during summer. For families from low-income households, attending center-based childcare is associated with a lower risk of developing OWOB by 1st grade compared to attending home-based care. Center-based childcare lowers the risk of OWOB through daily rules/routines that promote healthy behaviors. For families from low-income households, publicly funded center-based childcares (e.g., needs-based pre-K, Head Start) typically operate on an academic/school 9-month calendar (Aug-May). During summer, fewer than 30% of preschoolers attend center-based childcare. For many preschoolers from lower-income households, summer may serve as an extended period away from formal center-based childcare, because the out-of-pocket expense may prohibit attendance. This may promote unhealthy behaviors and excessive weight gain. In the majority of US states, publicly funded center-based childcare during the academic/school year for families from underserved populations is free; however, center-based childcare during the summer is an out-of-pocket expense for many of these families. Despite parents' desire for childcare during the summer, a major reason children from low-income households do not attend center-based care during summer is cost. This creates unequal access to resources and likely exacerbates health disparities for families from low-income households. Using a structural intervention approach, this study will test the impact of providing free center-based childcare in the summer. This R01 will rigorously test the impact of providing free center-based childcare during the summer on weight status of preschoolers from low-income households (≤185% of poverty level or Medicaid eligible).
- Conditions
- Obesity & Overweight
- Being tested
- Childcare
- Keywords
- Obesity, Preschool, Community, Intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Obesity, Overweight
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ChildcareBehavioural
Daily Schedule: The daily schedule will be from ~8am to 5pm M-F. The centers will provide lunch, snacks, and a nap. The activities each day will focus on core state curriculum standards for reading, social emotional learning, and kindergarten readiness. Preschoolers will be offered 2-3 15-20min recess periods each day and be provided physical education for 45min on a rotating 2/3 schedule every 2 weeks (i.e., 2 days/week followed by 3 days/week). Meals: All meals provided will be reimbursed through the district's Summer Food Service Program and will adhere to the nutritional guidelines of the Summer Food Service Program. The program will be overseen by district personnel who are responsible for pre-K during the 9m school year. Staffing: The program will be staffed by pre-K teachers who teach in the district. Teachers have already expressed interest in staffing the summer program and will be recruited by organization personnel. Setting: The center-based childcare wil
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Children randomly assigned to receive free center-based childcare during the summer will be provided 8 to 10 weeks (depending on the length of summer - which can vary due to school-year closures and make-up days) of access to a school-operated, needs-based center-based childcare during the summer. Receives: Behavioral: Childcare |
| Control | No intervention | The control group will not receive free access to attend the center-based childcare during the summer. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Bioelectrical Impedance
Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) will be used as a measure of children's body composition. This will allow for the quantification of whole-body fat mass and fat free mass associated with changes over school and summer. BIA will be collected via the Inbody 270 (Seoul, South Korea), which is validated for use in 3-4 yr-old children.
Measured: Baseline (0 months) prior to the beginning of summer and post intervention at the end of summer (3 months)
BMI z-score
BMI z-score is a age-sex standardized metric of BMI (height and weight)
Measured: Baseline (0 months) prior to the beginning of summer and post intervention at the end of summer (3 months)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 May 2026
- Study start1 May 2026
- Primary completion30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Obesity & OverweightStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of South CarolinaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 300 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of South Carolina
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Michael Beets, University of South Carolina
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07583459
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- USouthCarolina
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 11 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Efficacy of Center-based Childcare to Mitigate Unhealthy Weight Gain in Preschoolers From Low-income Households During the Summer
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07583459
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- USouthCarolina
- Conditions
- Obesity & Overweight
- Keywords
- Obesity, Preschool, Community, Intervention
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 300 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of South CarolinaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Studies show that preschool-age children are especially vulnerable to accelerated weight gain during the summer, with those from low-income households (≤185% poverty level or Medicaid eligible - the target population for this study) exhibiting the greatest risk of unhealthy weight gain. Despite numerous interventions designed to prevent OWOB, none target preschoolers during summer. For families from low-income households, attending center-based childcare is associated with a lower risk of developing OWOB by 1st grade compared to attending home-based care. Center-based childcare lowers the risk of OWOB through daily rules/routines that promote healthy behaviors. For families from low-income households, publicly funded center-based childcares (e.g., needs-based pre-K, Head Start) typically operate on an academic/school 9-month calendar (Aug-May). During summer, fewer than 30% of preschoolers attend center-based childcare. For many preschoolers from lower-income households, summer may serve as an extended period away from formal center-based childcare, because the out-of-pocket expense may prohibit attendance. This may promote unhealthy behaviors and excessive weight gain. In the majority of US states, publicly funded center-based childcare during the academic/school year for families from underserved populations is free; however, center-based childcare during the summer is an out-of-pocket expense for many of these families. Despite parents' desire for childcare during the summer, a major reason children from low-income households do not attend center-based care during summer is cost. This creates unequal access to resources and likely exacerbates health disparities for families from low-income households. Using a structural intervention approach, this study will test the impact of providing free center-based childcare in the summer. This R01 will rigorously test the impact of providing free center-based childcare during the summer on weight status of preschoolers from low-income households (≤185% of poverty level or Medicaid eligible).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: ChildcareChildren randomly assigned to receive free center-based childcare during the summer will be provided 8 to 10 weeks (depending on the length of summer - which can vary due to school-year closures and make-up days) of access to a school-operated, needs-based center-based childcare during the summer. |
| Control | No intervention | –The control group will not receive free access to attend the center-based childcare during the summer. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 3 to 5 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Children will need to be enrolled in a needs-based pre-K program in our partner organizations to be eligible to participate. No other exclusion criteria will be applied
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- -
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| ChildcareDaily Schedule: The daily schedule will be from ~8am to 5pm M-F. The centers will provide lunch, snacks, and a nap. The activities each day will focus on core state curriculum standards for reading, social emotional learning, and kindergarten readiness. Preschoolers will be offered 2-3 15-20min recess periods each day and be provided physical education for 45min on a rotating 2/3 schedule every 2 weeks (i.e., 2 days/week followed by 3 days/week). Meals: All meals provided will be reimbursed through the district's Summer Food Service Program and will adhere to the nutritional guidelines of the Summer Food Service Program. The program will be overseen by district personnel who are responsible for pre-K during the 9m school year. Staffing: The program will be staffed by pre-K teachers who teach in the district. Teachers have already expressed interest in staffing the summer program and will be recruited by organization personnel. Setting: The center-based childcare wil | Behavioural | Intervention |
Primary outcome
Bioelectrical Impedance
Time frame: Baseline (0 months) prior to the beginning of summer and post intervention at the end of summer (3 months)
Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA) will be used as a measure of children's body composition. This will allow for the quantification of whole-body fat mass and fat free mass associated with changes over school and summer. BIA will be collected via the Inbody 270 (Seoul, South Korea), which is validated for use in 3-4 yr-old children.
BMI z-score
Time frame: Baseline (0 months) prior to the beginning of summer and post intervention at the end of summer (3 months)
BMI z-score is a age-sex standardized metric of BMI (height and weight)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Jun 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Childcare in people with Obesity & Overweight, run by University of South Carolina at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Michael W Beets, MEd, MPH, PhD (8037773003, beets@mailbox.sc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Bioelectrical Impedance (time frame: Baseline (0 months) prior to the beginning of summer and post intervention at the end of summer (3 months)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Jun 2026.