We found insufficient evidence to determine whether acupuncture is effective for controlling menopausal vasomotor symptoms. When we compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture, there was no evidence of a significant difference in their effect on menopausal vasomotor symptoms. When we compared acupuncture with no treatment there appeared to be a benefit from acupuncture, but acupuncture appeared to be less effective than HT. These findings should be treated with great caution as the evidence was low or very low quality and the studies comparing acupuncture versus no treatment or HT were not controlled with sham acupuncture or placebo HT. Data on adverse effects were lacking.

Background Existing initiatives to promote healthy eating remain largely ineffective as individuals struggle to adhere to dietary recommendations. Therefore, challenging the strategies currently used is of significant importance. Recent studies have indicated the potential of an approach oriented towards eating pleasure to promote the consumption of healthy foods. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare perceptions and the potential effect of pleasure-oriented and health-oriented messages promoting healthy eating among French-Canadians. Methods Two leaflets similar in all respects, except for the message orientation (pleasure or health), were developed. Perceived message orientation and effectiveness, perceptions towards healthy eating as well as emotions, attitude towards healthy eating, and intention to eat healthily were evaluated. A total of 100 adults (50% women; mean ± SD age 45.1 ± 13.0 y) were randomly assigned to read 1 of the 2 leaflets (pleasure: n = 50; health: n = 50). Questionnaires were completed online and data were also collected at a visit made to the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods. Results The difference in message orientation (pleasure compared with health) was well perceived by participants ( P ≤ 0.01). The pleasure-oriented message was successful in inducing the perception that eating healthy can be pleasurable (pre- compared with post-reading; P = 0.01). Perceived message effectiveness and induced emotions in response to reading were similar between leaflets. Both messages significantly improved global attitude towards healthy eating ( P ≤ 0.01) and increased intention to eat healthily ( P < 0.001). Additional analyses showed that the affective attitude towards healthy eating increased more after reading the pleasure leaflet than the health leaflet ( P = 0.05), whereas the health message tended to improve cognitive attitude more than the pleasure leaflet ( P = 0.06). Conclusions These findings suggest that the leaflets would be appropriate to promote healthy eating through 2 distinct approaches (health and pleasure paradigms) and propose that different effects on attitude could be observed from these 2 approaches.

IntroductionChildhood overweight and obesity (OWO) is a primary global health challenge. Childhood OWO prevention is now a public health priority in China. The Sino-Canadian Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (SCHeLTI), one of four trials being undertaken by the international HeLTI consortium, aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted, community-family-mother-child intervention on childhood OWO and non-communicable diseases risk.Methods and analysisThis is a multicentre, cluster-randomised, controlled trial conducted in Shanghai, China. The unit of randomisation is the service area of Maternal Child Health Units (N=36). We will recruit 4500 women/partners/families in maternity and district level hospitals. Participants in the intervention group will receive a multifaceted, integrated package of health promotion interventions beginning in preconception or in the first trimester of pregnancy, continuing into infancy and early childhood. The intervention, which is centred on a modified motivational interviewing approach, will target early-life maternal and child risk factors for adiposity. Through the development of a biological specimen bank, we will study potential mechanisms underlying the effects of the intervention. The primary outcome for the trial is childhood OWO (body mass index for age ≥85th percentile) at 5 years of age, based on WHO sex-specific standards. The study has a power of 0.8 (α=0.05) to detect a 30% risk reduction in the proportion of children with OWO at 5 years of age, from 24.4% in the control group to 17% in the intervention group. Recruitment was launched on 30 August 2018 for the pilot study and 10 January 2019 for the formal study.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital in Shanghai, China, and the Research Ethics Board of the Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Services Sociaux de l’Estrie–CHUS in Sherbrooke, Canada. Data sharing policies are consistent with the governance policy of the HeLTI consortium and government legislation.Trial registration numberChiCTR1800017773.Protocol versionNovember 11, 2020 (Version #5).

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BACKGROUND With the rapid development of eHealth technologies, the convenient exchange of health-related electronic data can promote interactive exchange of information between healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients, making the communication between doctors and patients more coordinated and transparent. The Sino-Canada Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (SCHeLTI) study is an ongoing randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted, community-family-mother-child intervention on childhood overweight and obesity (OWO). A management system to support the SCHeLTI interventions needs to be developed. OBJECTIVE Considering the need for a supporting system to facilitate the implementation of interventions and the exchange of information between HCPs and participants, the SCHeLTI platform was designed and developed with the aim to facilitate the context-specific interventions in the SCHeLTI study. METHODS We tailored the SCHeLTI platform to the specifics of the SCHeLTI study. Multiple professional background experts were involved in the process of building the application, including the participation of personnel with medical professional background, clinical trials coordination and computer science. In the pilot phase, we collected feedback from HCPs and participants in the use process to further optimize the product. RESULTS The SCHeLTI platform includes the interworking and interconnection between the participants' mobile phone and the HCP's computers. A mobile application and a Web based management system were designed. The participant's terminal (the SCHeLTI APP) was successfully implemented and fully integrated into the intervention programme. The computer terminal managed by the research team create an innovative support environment that guides the participants toward healthy lifestyle changes. CONCLUSIONS A technically advanced and web-based management terminal and mobile phone app corresponding to the SCHeLTI needs were developed and used in the SCHeLTI study. CLINICALTRIAL trial registration No. ChiCTR1800017773