Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of childhood obesity interventions and conduct a taxonomy of intervention components that are most effective in changing obesity-related health outcomes in children 2-5 years of age. Methods: Comprehensive searches located 51 studies from 18,335 unique records. Eligible studies: (1) assessed children aged 2-5, living in the United States; (2) evaluated an intervention to improve weight status; (3) identified a same-aged comparison group; (4) measured BMI; and (5) were available between January 2005 and August 2019. Coders extracted study, sample, and intervention characteristics. Effect sizes [ESs; and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)] were calculated by using random-effects models. Meta-regression was used to determine which intervention components explain variability in ESs. Results: Included were 51 studies evaluating 58 interventions (N = 29,085; mean age = 4 years; 50% girls). Relative to controls, children receiving an intervention had a lower BMI at the end of the intervention (g = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02-0.18; k = 55) and at the last follow-up (g = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.04-0.30; k = 14; range = 18-143 weeks). Three intervention components moderated efficacy: Engage caregivers in praise/encouragement for positive health-related behavior; provide education about the importance of screen time reduction to caregivers; and engage pediatricians/health care providers. Conclusions: Early childhood obesity interventions are effective in reducing BMI in preschool children. Our findings suggest that facilitating caregiver education about the importance of screen time reduction may be an important strategy in reducing early childhood obesity.
Original language | English (US) |
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Journal | Childhood Obesity |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | S2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2020 |
Funding
This work is a collaborative effort between Mission Measurement and the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR). It was funded by Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research, National Institutes of Health, and guided by members of NCCOR. The four organizations represented in NCCOR are: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); National Institutes of Health (NIH); Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF); and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Members of the NCCOR Childhood Obesity Evidence Base (COEB) project Working Group include Sonia Arteaga, Christine Hunter, Young Jo, Laura Kettel Khan, and Deborah Young-Hyman. Members of the COEB External Expert Panel (EEP) include Leann Birch, John Cawley, Jamie Chriqui, Angie Cradock, Christina Economos, Debra Haire-Joshu, Shiriki Kumanyika, Bruce Lee, Lorrene Ritchie, Thomas Robinson, and Marlene Schwartz. We are grateful to the Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Research Methods Team, especially Melissa M. Feulner, Brittany L. Balletto, and Julie DeCosta for their efforts on this project. This Childhood Obesity Supplement is dedicated to Dr. Leann L. Birch, who passed May 26, 2019, for a life’s work devoted to childhood nutrition and health. The research reported in this article was supported by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research of the NIH under contract number GS-00F-0007M. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the NIH or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Keywords
- BMI
- intervention
- meta-analysis
- prevention
- taxonomy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Nutrition and Dietetics