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Cited by 763Obesity, Physical Activity, DietPhysical Activity and HealthObesity and Health Practices

Interventions for preventing obesity in children

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Summerbell, Carolyn D, Waters, Elizabeth, Edmunds, Laurel, Kelly, Sarah AM, Brown, Tamara, Campbell, Karen J·2005·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd001871.pub2
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity prevention is an international public health priority. The prevalence of obesity and overweight is increasing in child populations throughout the world, impacting on short and long-term health. Obesity prevention strategies for children can change behaviour but efficacy in terms of preventing obesity remains poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent obesity in childhood through diet, physical activity and/or lifestyle and social support. SEARCH STRATEGY: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL and CENTRAL were searched from 1990 to February 2005. Non-English language papers were included and experts contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials with minimum duration twelve weeks. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality. MAIN RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included; ten long-term (at least 12 months) and twelve short-term (12 weeks to 12 months). Nineteen were school/preschool-based interventions, one was a community-based intervention targeting low-income families, and two were family-based interventions targeting non-obese children of obese or overweight parents. Six of the ten long-term studies combined dietary education and physical activity interventions; five resulted in no difference in overweight status between groups and one resulted in improvements for girls receiving the intervention, but not boys. Two studies focused on physical activity alone. Of these, a multi-media approach appeared to be effective in preventing obesity. Two studies focused on nutrition education alone, but neither were effective in preventing obesity. Four of the twelve short-term studies focused on interventions to increase physical activity levels, and two of these studies resulted in minor reductions in overweight status in favour of the intervention. The other eight studies combined advice on diet and physical activity, but none had a significant impact. The studies were heterogeneous in terms of study design, quality, target population, theoretical underpinning, and outcome measures, making it impossible to combine study findings using statistical methods. There was an absence of cost-effectiveness data. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The majority of studies were short-term. Studies that focused on combining dietary and physical activity approaches did not significantly improve BMI, but some studies that focused on dietary or physical activity approaches showed a small but positive impact on BMI status. Nearly all studies included resulted in some improvement in diet or physical activity. Appropriateness of development, design, duration and intensity of interventions to prevent obesity in childhood needs to be reconsidered alongside comprehensive reporting of the intervention scope and process.

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  1. [41]41. Borys 2000 {published data only} Borys J-M, Lafay L. Nutritional education of children to influence the dietary habits of all the family [L'information nutritionelle des enfants pour modifier les habitudes alimentaires de toute la famille]. Revue Medicale de la Suisse Romande 2000;120:207-209.
  2. [43]43. Cairella 1998 {published data only} Cairella G, Romagnoli F, Cantarelli P, Valentini P, Tarsitani G. School oriented intervention on dietary education: results of phase 1. International Journal of Obesity 1998;22:S254 (Abstract).
  3. [52]52. He 2004 {published data only} He Yi-Feng, Wang Wen-yuan, Fu Ping, Sun Yun, Yu Shuang-yu, Chen Ru, Wang Yu-xia. Effects of a comprehensive intervention programme on simple obesity of children in kindergarten. Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2004;42 (5):1-6.

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Authors
Summerbell, C. D., Waters, E., Edmunds, L., Kelly, S. A., Brown, T., & Campbell, K. J.
Affiliations
  • Durham University (GB)
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
  • Teesside University (GB)
  • Deakin University (AU)
ORCID
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Published
2005-07-20
Issue
3
Pages
CD001871-CD001871
ISSN
1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1002/14651858.cd001871.pub2
OpenAlex
W4211079836
Semantic Scholar
7bcdb5c69d0c197daf7584f3a8534c6d7c5cb1e4
Cited by
763
References
105
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 54 · 2012: 76
Type
reference entry
Language
en
Update notices
new_version (2011-12-07)
Open access
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (acceptedVersion)
  • TeesRep (Teesside University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Teesside University Research Portal (Teesside University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • British Heart Foundation
  • University of Glasgow
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
Keywords
childhood obesity prevention, obesity prevention interventions, school-based intervention, family intervention, physical activity, nutrition education, social support, lifestyle intervention, overweight, body mass index, sex differences, multimedia intervention, low-income households
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Child, Diet, Humans, Obesity, Exercise, Treatment Outcome, Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic

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