Family-centered program to improve cardiovascular health in Ugandan adolescents and their families
Official title: A Family Centred Approach to Enhance Lifestyle Change and Behavioural Modification for Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases Among Adolescents and Their Families in Uganda
Run by MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit · NCT07265453 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether a family-centered program of home visits, diet coaching, physical activity support, and health messaging can improve heart-health behaviors and reduce cardiovascular risk in Ugandan adolescents and their families.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 10 Years to 19 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 1280 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Jinja and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 5, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 2027 |
| Study ends | January 2028 |
| Registry record updated | December 12, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07265453 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adolescents aged 10–19 who live in the participating villages, have parent/guardian permission, plan to remain in the village for at least 12 months, and who assent to participate are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
Adolescents in boarding schools, those who are pregnant or lactating, those with known chronic conditions such as severe mental illness, or those living outside the selected villages are unlikely to receive benefit from this program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This 5-year implementation project will roll out a family-centred approach (FaCe-D) in 32 villages (16 in Jinja district and 16 in Kampala) beginning April 2024, comparing communities receiving the intervention with those receiving standard care. The FaCe-D intervention includes home visits, diet and physical activity support, and health messaging delivered in the community with involvement of family members and community health workers. Investigators will measure changes in cardiovascular risk factors among adolescents, as well as feasibility, adoption, and the costs of implementation. The program is led by MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit in collaboration with UCSF, University of British Columbia, and TASO, with guidance from the Uganda Ministry of Health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could help families adopt healthier diets and activity habits that lower adolescents' long-term cardiovascular risk, including reductions in blood pressure and weight.
How similar studies have gone: Previous family-centered interventions such as the iHealth T2D work in parts of Asia and the UK have shown reductions in weight and blood pressure, but applying this approach in Uganda is a novel implementation effort.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 10 -19 years * Household head/parent has provided consent/permission * Planning to continue staying in the study village for the next 12 months Exclusion Criteria: * In a boarding school or planning to join a boarding school * Pregnant or lactating * Known to have a chronic condition such as mental illness * The adolescent does not assent or consent
Where it's running
-
TASO Jinja
Jinja, Uganda Recruiting -
Kiswa Health center III
Kampala, Uganda Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Prof Rachel King, PhD — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Arthur Namara, MSc
- Email: arthur.namara@mrcuganda.org
- Phone: +256782199612
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.