Potentially modifiable mediators for socioeconomic disparities in childhood obesity in the United States

Does Neighborhood Social Capital Longitudinally Affect the Nutritional Status of School-Aged Children? Evidence from China

Previous research linking social capital to child nutritional status primarily constitutes cross-sectional studies. To investigate whether a longitudinal relationship exists, by conducting fixed-effects analyses with 16,977 repeatedly measured observations of 6193 children from the 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 China Family Panel Studies, this study explored the longitudinal effects of neighborhood participation, bonding trust, and bridging trust on the BMI-for-age z-score (BAZ) and BMI categories of school-aged children, differentiating between urban and rural residence. We found an increasing average BAZ, a decreasing prevalence of underweight, an increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity, and a reducing urban/rural gap in nutritional status. The levels of social capital components descended faster in the urban area. Bonding trust was predictive of a lower BAZ, a higher likelihood of being underweight, and a lower likelihood of being overweight/obese. Bridging trust was predictive of a higher BAZ. The longitudinal effects of bonding trust were significant among only the rural children. Our findings indicate that neighborhood social capital may impose causal impacts on the nutritional status of children. To effectively improve child nutritional status, a more empathetic governmental approach that promotes a more supportive distal social environment is needed.

The effectiveness of interventions during the first 1,000 days to improve energy balance-related behaviors or prevent overweight/obesity in children from socio-economically disadvantaged families of high-income countries: a systematic review

This narrative systematic review examined effectiveness of interventions during pregnancy and up to 2 years of age in improving energy balance-related behaviors or prevent overweight/obesity in children from families experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. We identified 24 interventions, from 33 articles, since 1990. Overall, despite their heterogeneity and variability in internal and external validity, there was some evidence of beneficial impact of interventions on obesity risk (4/15), and associated behaviors, e.g.: breastfeeding (9/18), responsive feeding (11/16), diet (7/8), sedentary (1/3) and movement (4/7) behaviors, and sleep (1/2). The most effective interventions aimed at promoting breastfeeding commenced antenatally; this was similar for the prevention of obesity, provided the intervention continued for at least 2 years postnatally and was multi-behavioral. Effective interventions were more likely to target first-time mothers and involve professional delivery agents, multidisciplinary teams and peer groups. Among ethnic/racial minorities, interventions delivered by lay agents had some impact on dietary behavior but not weight outcomes. Co-creation with stakeholders, including parents, and adherence to theoretical frameworks were additional ingredients for more pragmatic, inclusive, non-judgmental, and effective programs. The growing body of evidence on obesity prevention interventions targeting families experiencing socio-economic disadvantage is promising for reducing early inequalities in obesity risk.