Stress and the scale: new study tracks how worry shapes Kids' waistlines
NCT ID NCT05534711
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study follows 300 families with children aged 2 to 6 years over three years to understand how ongoing stress might lead to weight gain. Researchers will measure stress hormones and behaviors to see what role they play. The goal is to learn, not to test a treatment, so no new therapies are given.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 300 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2020
- Expected to finish
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May 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Family: For this study, we define family as caregivers and their oldest eligible child who is 2-6 years old. Families can have one or many caregivers. Up to two caregivers from each family can register to take part in this study; Caregiver(s): We define caregivers as the main adults who regularly provide direct care for children of a family. Examples of caregivers include parents (can be biological, related, adoptive or foster if living with the child full time), grandparents, aunts and uncles. One participating caregiver must have at least 50% custody or 50% legal guardianship of the oldest eligible child who is 2-6 years old.
- Ages
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2 to 6 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Families are eligible to participate if they have at least 1 adult caregiver responsible for the care of a child aged 2-6 years at the time of enrollment (target age group for the study); * Families must live in the Guelph (i.e.: Wellington County- includes Guelph, Rockwood, Fergus, Elora, Mount Forest, Puslinch, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo) or Hamilton (i.e.: Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth - includes Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Glanbrook, Stoney Creek as well as Burlington) areas and must not be planning to move outside of these areas within three years; Exclusion Criteria: * Language - The participating caregiver must be fluent in English since all study communications and survey questions are in English; * Participation in the Guelph Family Health Study (GFHS) - families previously or currently participating in the GFHS will be excluded as the GFHS provided intervention that may bias the results of the current study; * Child custody - The participating caregiver must have at least 50% shared custody of their child (to allow for separated/divorced families to participate ensuring caregivers' reports of family-level stressors are relevant for the child); * Health conditions of the children impacting cortisol production, obesity and/or growth/body composition - Hair sample cortisol, fat mass and growth measurements would be affected by these conditions (e.g. Cushing's Disease, Prader Willi Syndrome, untreated thyroid disease); * Children taking steroid medications including oral or inhaled corticosteroids - Hair sample cortisol measurements would be affected by the use of steroid medications; * Children taking medications for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), antidepressants or antipsychotic medications - These medications can affect body composition; * Children born before 34 weeks gestation - Body composition and growth can be affected for children born before 34 weeks.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada
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University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
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