A Cluster Randomized Trial of the H2GO! Program

This proposal involves a collaboration with the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. The goal is to evaluate the efficacy of youth empowerment intervention targeting sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on childhood obesity among youth. The 12-session 6-week intervention consists of health and narrative sessions and youth-led activities. For this cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) at 10 sites, the investigators plan to recruit 45 parent-child pairs per site for a total of 450 parent-child pairs/dyads. The primary outcome is child participants' body mass index (BMI) z scores. Secondary outcomes include children's sugar-sweetened beverage intake, water intake, and youth empowerment. Change in outcomes over time among participants in the intervention sites will be compared to change in outcomes over time among participants

Child participant inclusion criteria 1. Ages 9-12 years 2. Current member at a BGC study site 3. Able to understand and communicate in English 4. Able and willing to provide assent 5. Parental/caregiver permission to participate Child participant exclusion criteria - Has a medical condition that limits ability to change beverage consumption behaviors Parent participant inclusion criteria 1. Parent or caregiver to a child member at a BGC study site 2. 18 years or older 3. able to understand and communicate in English 4. able and willing to provide consent 5. no plans to change their child's BGC membership over the next 12 months Parent participant exclusion criteria \- has a medical condition that limits ability to change beverage consumption behaviors