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Welcome!
Childhood Obesity
Prevention:
What’s the evidence?
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What’s the evidence?
 Waters, E., de Silva-Sanigorski, A., Hall, B.J., Brown,
T., Campbell, K.J., Gao, Y., Armstrong, R., Prosser,
L., & Summerbell, C.D. (2011). Interventions for
preventing obesity in children. Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews, 2011(12): Art. No.:
CD001871
 http://health-evidence.ca/articles/show/15329

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This webinar has been made possible with support from the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Welcome!
Childhood Obesity
Prevention:
What’s the evidence?

The Health Evidence Team
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Administrative Director Project Manager
Maureen Dobbins
Scientific Director
Tel: 905 525-9140 ext 22481
E-mail: dobbinsm@mcmaster.ca
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Supplement Project
CIHR-funded KTB-112487

Review
 Waters, E., de Silva-Sanigorski, A., Hall, B.J., Brown, T.,
Campbell, K.J., Gao, Y., Armstrong, R., Prosser, L., &
Summerbell, C.D. (2011). Interventions for
preventing obesity in children. Cochrane Database
of Systematic Reviews, 2011(12): Art. No.: CD001871

Questions?

Summary Statement:
Waters (2011)
 P 0-18 years
 I community, school, home, day care, preschool –
promoting healthy eating, physical activity, social
support
 C usual care
 O primary outcome – BMI
Quality Rating 9 (strong)

Overall Considerations
Favorable impact observed for BMI:
 6-12 years only
 physical activity/nutrition interventions combined
 in education setting alone
 of short or long duration
Results consistent across research designs

General Implications
Public health should promote/support/implement:
 strategies to prevent obesity among 6-12 year olds
 in education setting
 focused on healthy eating and physical activity
 of various durations
 different strategies are needed for young children and
adolescents
 Long term impact remains unclear

What’s the evidence
 Overall BMI -0.15 (95% CI -0.21, -0.09)
 6-12 years -0.15 (95% CI -0.23, -0.08)
 Not statistically significant 0-5 or 13-18

Overall Meta Analysis Results
Subgroup: 0-5 years

Overall Meta Analysis Results
Subgroup: 6-12 years

Overall Meta Analysis Results
Subgroup: 13-18 years

Implications for practice and policy
 Support obesity prevention in education settings
 Continue to investigate strategies for other age groups

Intervention Type
 Combined physical activity and nutrition interventions
-0.18 (95% CI -0.27, -0.09)
 Physical activity alone -0.11 (95% CI - -0.19,-0.02)
 Nutrition alone (not significant)

Implications for practice and policy
 Support interventions to change physical activity and
healthy eating behaviours in 6-12 years
 Environment and culture

Intervention Setting
 Education setting only -0.14 (95% CI -0.21, -0.08)
 Education + other settings, or non-ed settings only not
effective
 Sig effect in non-education settings for <5 years

Implications for practice and policy
 Curriculum development
 More physical activity sessions
 Nutritional quality of food
 Training and capacity development for teachers and staff
 Parents of young children

Intervention length
 Programs < than or > than 12 months have similar
positive effect

Implications for practice and policy
 Tailor program length to needs of education setting

Research Designs
 Randomization not a factor
 Innovative ideas for 0-5 and 13-18 need to be
developed and evaluated

Overall Considerations
Favorable impact observed for BMI:
 6-12 years only
 physical activity/nutrition interventions combined
 in education setting alone
 of short or long duration
Results consistent across research designs

General Implications
Public health should promote/support/implement:
 strategies to prevent obesity among 6-12 year olds
 in education setting
 focused on healthy eating and physical activity
 of various durations
 different strategies are needed for young children and
adolescents
 Long term impact remains unclear

Questions?

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