Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27296723›Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2016

A randomized controlled trial for families with preschool children - promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature.

Tanja Sobko, Michael Tse, Matthew Kaplan

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02715544 (Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Playtime by Connecting Preschool Children to Nature), which is not on this map. Cited by 16 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT02715544 naunknown statusnot on this map

Promoting Healthy Eating and Active Playtime by Connecting Preschool Children to Nature

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe University of Hong KongRan2015 to 2020Enrolled240ConditionsSedentary Lifestyle, Overweight, Eating DisordersArmsHealthy lifestyle, physical activity and dietary guidelines
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Interventions to prevent obesity in children aged 2 to 4 years old.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
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  7. Interventions for preventing obesity in children.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Tanja SobkoInstitute of Human Performance, The University of Hong Kong, 303A, 3/F Bldg. for Interdisciplinary Research, 5 Sassoon Rd, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. tsobko@hku.hk.
Michael TseInstitute of Human Performance, The University of Hong Kong, 303A, 3/F Bldg. for Interdisciplinary Research, 5 Sassoon Rd, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Matthew KaplanDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPromotion of healthy lifestyles in children focuses predominantly on proper nutrition and physical activity, elements now widely recognised as essential for a healthy life. Systematic reviews have shown that nature-related activities also enhance general well-being as reflected in increased physical activity, a healthier diet, reduced stress and better sleep. Recent research suggests that many young children in Hong Kong between the ages of two and four in Hong Kong are more sedentary than recommended and seldom participate in active play, placing them at risk of becoming overweight or obese. The proposed project aims to investigate whether connecting families to nature positively influences physical activity (i.e., active playtime) and healthy eating routines in children aged 2 to 4.

methodsWe recently conducted a pilot study in Hong Kong to develop a programme, Play & Grow, based on the most successful evidence-based international preschool interventions. In addition to adopting the healthy eating and physical activity elements of these interventions, this project will additionally include a third novel element of Connectedness to nature: discovering nature through games and awareness of sounds, touch, smells, and temperature. To test the effectiveness of this modified intervention, a randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving 240 families with children aged 2 to 4 will be conducted. Families and children will take part in weekly one-hour activity sessions for 10-weeks. Lifestyle-related habits will be assessed before and immediately after the 10-week intervention, with follow up testing at 6 and 12 months' post intervention. DISCUSSION: A novel measuring tool created specifically for assessing Connectedness to nature, Nature Relatedness Scale (NRS), will be validated and tested for reliability prior to the RCT. The results of the RCT are intended to be used to understand which components of the intervention are most effective. The objectives of this project will be achieved over a 30-month period and will contribute to the research that examines key components of successful healthy lifestyle promotion programmes during early childhood. We predict that the inclusion of Connectedness to nature will significantly improve recognised preschool interventions. Finally, the aim of targeting family involvement will hopefully increase the sustainability of longer-term lifestyle modifications in children.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02715544 . Registered 22 March 2016.

Indexed as

ExerciseFamilyHealthy LifestylePlay and PlaythingsAdultChild, PreschoolDiet, HealthyFemaleHealth PromotionHong KongHumansMaleNatureOverweightPilot ProjectsActive playtimeConnectedness to natureHealthy eatingToddler

Identifiers

PMID27296723
PMCPMC4906726

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.