GReen And Healthy Schools

NCT ID: NCT04898439

Last Updated: 2022-03-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 200 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-03-15
• Study Completion Date: 2023-04-01

Brief Summary

This project aims to investigate the health effects of making schools greener and more biodiverse. We will mainly focus on cognitive effects, well-being, and BMI. The research hypothesis is that greening schools positively influences the health of children through more exercise and cleaner air.

Detailed Description

Spending time in nature has been associated with improved physical and mental health and well-being. Developing nature-based health-promoting interventions such as providing more nature in schools to improve children's well-being will lead to benefits for society in our rapidly urbanizing world. Although the benefits of exposure to nature have been demonstrated, knowledge of integrating exposure to nature into public health guidelines is scarce. The latter requires an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the impact of nature-based interventions both on health and on the cost-effectiveness of interventions. Little is known about the health effect of greening and, in particular, increasing biodiversity in schools and we want to investigate further with this study.

This project, therefore, aims to investigate the health effects of greening primary schools and increasing biodiversity and will mainly focus on the effects on cognition, well-being, and BMI. For this, all children from 4th to 6th grade in the participating schools will be invited to participate in this study (Belgium). This study comprises control schools and intervention schools, the schools are examined before the greening and after the greening.

When the informed consent form is signed by the parents, they complete a questionnaire that assesses the child's diet, physical activity, and general questions. A urine sample will be taken for the determination of black carbon particles. The child will also perform computer tests measuring different aspects of "cognition". During these tests, we will also look at the eye movements that play an important role in the cognitive ability of the child. To get an idea of a possible effect on BMI, height and weight will be measured. The child fills in a welfare questionnaire and a questionnaire about the perception of nature itself.

Conditions

Cognitive Function 1, Social; Cognitive Change; Emotions; Weight, Body; Pollution; Exposure

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Green school

The children from schools that are being greened will be investigated and compared to the control school. We will measure cognitive function, BMI, black carbon levels and emotional wellbeing.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

greening of the school environment

Intervention Type: OTHER

The school will be greened and biodiversity will be increased. This will be done on the playground and area around the school. Special needs corners for playing, relaxing or gardening will be installed.

control school

The children from schools that are not being greened will be investigated and used as a control group. We will measure cognitive function, BMI, black carbon levels and emotional wellbeing

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

greening of the school environment

The school will be greened and biodiversity will be increased. This will be done on the playground and area around the school. Special needs corners for playing, relaxing or gardening will be installed.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Being in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade
• Signed informed consent form by a legal representative

Exclusion Criteria

• No knowledge of dutch

• Minimum Eligible Age: 9 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Hasselt University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Michelle Plusquin

Assistent professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Michelle Plusquin

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Hasselt University

Locations

Hasselt University

Hasselt, Limburg, Belgium

Countries

Belgium

Central Contacts

Michelle Plusquin, PhD

Role: CONTACT

michelle.plusquin@uhasselt.Be

+3211268289

Silvie Daniels, PhD

Role: CONTACT

silvie.daniels@uhasselt.be

Other Identifiers

Green_School

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id