The document reviews several studies on nutrition interventions for children. It finds that parent-based interventions have the most positive influence on children's nutrition habits. Involving other aspects of children's lives, like their school environment, can also improve outcomes. The review concludes that public health must address all aspects of children's lives to effectively improve nutrition and potentially decrease obesity rates over the next five years.

1. A Systematic Review of Nutrition
Interventions in Children
Ansley Widener
Introduction
Purpose
Methods
Discussion/Recommendations
References
Results
Poor nutrition can be associated among come chronic diseases which
could include obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity is a growing
problem around the world, but especially in the United States. The
prevalence of obesity in children in North America is about 46%
(Grondhuis & Aman, 2014). Some medical conditions related to obesity
include asthma, hypertension, diabetes, orthopedic conditions, and even
psychological problems such as depression. “Youth with intellectual and
developmental disabilities are more vulnerable than the typical population
to [become] overweight in recent decades, and these individuals often
experience overweight and obesity at higher rates than their typically
developing peers (Grondhuis & Aman, p. 787).” Weight gain in children
with disabilities can be associated with their medications. However,
eating habits are the biggest problem. Children are not responsible for
their eating habits; it is the parents and caregivers who provide children
with their meals and food. However, parents may lack the knowledge and
behavior skills to support a healthy diet for their children. The lack of
knowledge for healthy eating habits in children can be fixed through the
help of nutrition interventions.
The articles obtained were found through GALILEO.. Other databases
included ebscoHOST, and ScienceDirect. Search terms included nutrition
intervention, children, disabilities, and diabetes. All articles included
interventions for young children or their parents/caregivers involving
nutrition. I included full text only, English only, intervention based from
2006-2016 scholarly articles. I excluded any nutrition interventions that did
not involve a child’s parents in some way, and also interventions in which
no theoretical foundation was used.
The commonality among all of the articles reviewed were that interventions were put
in place with the hopes of a greater influence of change, while none of the studies
actually yielded any significant change among their populations. The weaknesses
seemed to be that the interventions were not catered to each individual rather than a
universal curriculum for a population. However, any difference among the individuals
influenced how they viewed nutrition or how their dietary habits were. These
differences could range from socioeconomic status to whether or not they spoke
English. A wide of variety of people need a wide variety of interventions catered to
their individual needs. The best results would result after educating new parents on
how to help their newborn or young child to live a healthier lifestyle through
nutritional advice. That way, the kids are raised eating healthier whether than trying to
implement a change when they have already become accustomed to a certain lifestyle.
Article &
Authors
Year Purpose Lifestyle
Addressed
Intervention Sampling # of Participants Results
Overweight and
obesity in youth
with
developmental
disabilities: a call
to action.
Grondhuis, &
Aman. 58(9):
787-799.
2014 Addresses medical
conditions related to
obesity.
Obesity. CDC Dietary
guidelines to
change eating
habits, data-
tracking sheets
for diet
modifications
and energy
increases,
pharmacotherap
y, hormonal
therapy, &
bariatric
therapy.
None. None. Nutritional
information
should be
taught to
children at
young ages, in
positive, age-
appropriate
language.
Steps in the
Right Direction,
Against the
Odds, An
Evaluation of a
Community-
Based
Programme and
Morale in
Overweight and
Obese School-
Age Children.
Fraser, Lewis, &
Manby, 26(2):
124-137.
2012 Evaluation of a 48
week
nutrition/physical
activity education
program for
overweight school age
kids.
Overweight, &
obesity.
Newton Kids’
Programme:
provides
physical activity
sessions, and
nutrition
education, and
behavior change
involving
parents and
kids.
Kids aged 5-16
in the town of
Newton.
325 children. Little weight
reduction
reported, a
more intensive
range of
interventions for
children with
serious
problems is
needed,
interventions for
parents is more
important.
A study to
evaluate the
nutritional
habits of Year 6
children before
and after a
nutrition-based
intervention: the
CHANGE!.
Stone,
Genevieve.
2015 To investigate the
eating habits and
behaviors of children.
Children in year
6.
Children’s
Health, Activity
and Nutrition:
Get Educated!
(CHANGE!): a
healthy eating
curriculum
6th
grade
children in UK
10 to 11.9 year
olds, approx.
290 children
Food intake,
knowledge of
foods and
attitudes
towards food
are all
equivalent
Diabetes Risk,
Low Fitness, and
Energy
Insufficiency
Levels among
Children from
Poor Families.
2008 To determine the
prevalence of high
blood sugar, obesity,
low fitness, and energy
insufficiency levels
among children from
poor families.
Children living in
poverty.
School-based
diabetes
prevention
program.
Participants
living in
households with
<$20,400 annual
income with
marginal to
unacceptable
fitness levels
and consumed
high energy-
dense and low
nutrient-dense
foods.
1,402 fourth-
grade students
aged 8 to 10
years.
Health
screenings and
early detection
and programs
are needed for
children living in
poverty.
Six-week Latino
family
prevention pilot
program
effectively
promotes
healthy
behaviors and
reduces
obesogenic
behaviors.
2013 To test the
effectiveness of a 6-
week family-based
healthy eating pilot
program aimed to
reduce obesogenic
behaviors among
Latino parents and
children.
Latino children. A family-based
pilot prevention
program to
increase
wellness in
Latino families.
Families of Latin
American
descent with at
least one child
between ages 5
and 13.
73 mothers with
children.
Healthful
changes were
made, however
further research
is needed to
discover
through which it
was whether
that be parent,
child, or both
The purpose of this review was to establish previous nutritional
interventions that had been performed to increase good nutritional
habits among children, and to establish the need for more more
parent-based nutritional interventions which yield the best results.
Regarding this review, evidence shows that parent-based nutritional
interventions do have a positive influence of children’s nutritional
habits. Along with also incorporating other aspects of the child’s life
into participating in the intervention (such as their school
environment), this also yields a more positive outcome. This evidence
proves that if public health practitioners want to improve a child’s
overall quality of life through their nutritional habits, then they must
take into account all aspects of the child’s life. In the next five years, I
hope to see a drastic change in the obesity rates among children. If
schools and parents participate in nutritional education along with
educating the children, I believe obesity rates could decrease if even in
the slightest. Healthier food options have already been offered at most
public schools thanks to Michelle Obama. However, I don’t think
healthy should be an option, I think it should be mandatory considering
school aged children are at prime for developing physically and
mentally. To deprive them of certain vitamins of minerals at school
where they spend majority of their days is simply wrong.
Fraser, C., Lewis, K., & Manby, M. (2012). Steps in the right direction,
against the odds, an evaluation of a community-based programme aiming to
reduce inactivity and improve health and morale in overweight and obese
school-age children. Children & Society, 26(2), 124-137.
doi:10.1111/j.1099-0860.2010.00329.x
Grondhuis, S. N., & Aman, M. G. (2014). Overweight and obesity in
youth with development disbilities: a call to action. Journal Of Intellectual
Disability Research, 58(9), 787-799 13p. doi: 10.1111/jir. 12090
Hammons, A. J., Wiley, A. R., Fiese, B. H., & Teran-Garcia, M.
(2013). Six-week latino family prevention pilot program effectively
promotes healthy behaviors and reduces obesogenic behaviors. Journal of
Nutrition Education and Behavior, (6), 745. Retrieved from
http://libez.lib.georgiasouthern.edu/login?
url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=edsgea&AN=edsgcl.350734011
Stone, G. (2015). A study to evaluate the nutritional habits of year 6
children, before and after a nutrition-based intervention : The CHANGE!
(children's health, activity, and nutrition: Get educated!) project Liverpool
John Moores University. Retrieved from
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=edsble&AN=edsble.658130
Treviño, R. P., Sosa, E., Woods, C., Leal-Vasquez, L., Fogt, D. L., &
Wyatt, T. J. (2008). Diabetes risk, low fitness, and energy insufficiency
levels among children from poor families [electronic resource]. Journal of