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Effect of autonomous motivation support on obesity prevention in early adolescents: a study protocol of
Jing-Qi Kong1, Jing Chen1, Yang Yang1
1Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Background:
The prevalence of obesity among early adolescents continues to rise, yet most existing interventions demonstrate only short-term efficacy. Children in early adolescence have increasingly strong autonomy, and enhancing their autonomous motivation holds promise for the long-term maintenance of healthy behavior, and further research is urgently needed.
Methods:
Based on an integral framework of Self-Determination Theory and Theory of Planned Behavior (SDT-TPB), this project will conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial. This trial will compare an autonomous motivation support group against a control group, with four follow-up assessments over 2 years. We will examine between-group differences in autonomous motivation, health behaviors, and adiposity outcomes to evaluate the intervention's immediate and long-term maintenance effects. Unlike previous approaches that focused primarily on behaviors, this study specifically targets the motivational drivers of behavior change.
Discussion:
Considering the developmental characteristic of early adolescents and theoretical framework of SDT and TPB, this school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial is expected to elucidate the complete pathway from motivation to behavioral change. We anticipate that the findings will help overcome a key bottleneck in pediatric obesity interventions and advance strategies for chronic disease prevention and control.
Trial Registration:
ICH GCP NCT06547567. Registered on 7 August 2024.
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