Integrated Childhood Activity and Nutrition (ICAN) program to prevent summer learning loss
Official title: INTEGRATED CHILDHOOD ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION (ICAN) STUDY
Run by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NCT07011602 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This 8-week program will try daily lutein-rich snacks plus group physical activities to see if they help prevent summer learning loss and support thinking skills and fitness in 6–11-year-old children from low-income families.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 6 Years to 11 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Bloomington, Illinois) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 4, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | June 9, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07011602 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are 6–11-year-old children from low-income families (e.g., eligible for SNAP or free/reduced lunch) with corrected 20/20 vision, no cognitive or neurological disorders, and parental consent and child assent.
✕Probably not a fit
Children outside the 6–11 age range, those not qualifying as economically disadvantaged, those with vision impairments or cognitive/neurological disorders, or without parental consent would not be eligible and are unlikely to 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
The ICAN program delivers an 8-week summer intervention combining daily nutrition (a snack high in the carotenoid lutein) with structured group physical activities and games. Children aged 6–11 from economically disadvantaged backgrounds attend sessions where researchers measure academic achievement, executive function, fitness, body composition, and dietary biomarkers before and after the program. Outcomes include standardized academic tests and executive function tasks, aerobic fitness and body composition measures, and blood or dietary carotenoid levels. The project is conducted at Bloomington Public Schools District 87 in Illinois with support from the University of Illinois and USDA‑NIFA.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce summer learning loss and improve diet, cognitive function, and fitness among low-income elementary school children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous summer programs combining nutrition and physical activity have shown mixed but sometimes positive effects on fitness, diet quality, and academic outcomes, while lutein supplementation for cognition in children is relatively novel and less tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Parental/guardian consent * Child assent * Child participant is between the chronological age of 6-11 years. * Child participant is considered economically or educationally disadvantaged (e.g., eligible for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program \[SNAP\] and/or qualifies for free-and-reduced lunch. * Child participant must have 20/20 or corrected 20/20 vision. * Child participant absent of cognitive or neurological disorder (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) Exclusion Criteria: * Parental/guardian does not provide consent * Child non-assent * Child participant chronological age when enrolling into the iCANS program falls below 6 or above 11 years of age * Child participant is not eligible for SNAP or does not qualify for free-and-reduced lunch. * Child participant does not have 20/20 or corrected 20/20 vision. * Presence of cognitive or neurological disorder (e.g., autism spectrum disorder)
Where it's running
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Bloomington Public Schools District 87
Bloomington, Illinois, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Naiman Khan, PhD, RD
- Email: nakhan2@illinois.edu
- Phone: 2173002197
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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.