Effectiveness evaluation of healthy lifestyle interventions in childhood obesity prevention: A systematic review

Background: There is significant reporting on evidence-based research in the literature regarding lifestyle modification programs. There is a need to review and synthesize results in order to develop childhood obesity prevention and intervention strategy recommendations. Purpose: Main purposes of the present review were to update the systematic review and critical appraisal of recent evidence in this area and assess the efficacy and quality of published research studies. Methods: Studies included in this review incorporated the following inclusion criteria: obese children participants 5 to 14 years of age; a face-to-face randomized-controlled study with a 4-week intervention period; and anthropometry, physical activity, sedentary behavior evaluated as primary outcomes after >6 months. Eleven studies met the 3 inclusion criteria. All were found using the following key word string: RCT or CCT interventional study researches, childhood obesity, overweight, preventive intervention, healthy lifestyle". Results: Evidence from these studies showed that all interventions varied in terms of approach and settings. Most provided a healthy lifestyle program duration of more than 15 minutes per week. Those that included culturally sensitive diet education and 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise everyday significantly enhanced childhood obesity prevention in terms of both anthropometry and dietary habits and decreased sedentary behavior. Conclusions / Implications for Practice: Results suggest that effective healthy lifestyle programs for childhood obesity prevention in Taiwan should provide dietary guidance sensitive to Taiwanese dietary habits, encourage daily physical activities, and decrease sedentary behavior.