Integrated Childhood Activity and Nutrition (ICAN) program to prevent summer learning loss
INTEGRATED CHILDHOOD ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION (ICAN) STUDY
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
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Ages | 6 Years to 11 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Bloomington, Illinois) |
| Trial ID | NCT07011602 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
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.
Who should consider this trial
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.
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.
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 performed: 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.
Eligibility criteria
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 this trial is running
Bloomington, Illinois
- Bloomington Public Schools District 87 — Bloomington, Illinois, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Naiman Khan, PhD, RD
- Email: nakhan2@illinois.edu
- Phone: 2173002197
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.