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Heerman WJ, Kenney E, Block JP, Fiechtner L, McMahon E, Kruse L, Sharifi M, Edmondson EK, Virudachalam S. A Narrative Review of Public Health Interventions for Childhood Obesity. Curr Obes Rep 2024; 13:87-97. [PMID: 38172483 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-023-00550-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Public health interventions that intervene on macrolevel systems hold the promise of reducing childhood obesity at the population level through prevention. The purpose of this review is to highlight some of the recent and best scientific evidence related to public health interventions for the prevention of childhood obesity. We provide a narrative review of scientific evidence for six categories of public health interventions and their impact on childhood obesity: federal nutrition assistance programs, programs implemented in early care and education centers, interventions to support healthy nutrition and physical activity in schools, community-based programs and policies, labeling policies and marketing to children, and taxes on sugar sweetened beverages (SSB). RECENT FINDINGS Federal nutrition assistance programs have the strongest evidence to support reduction in childhood obesity and serve populations with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity. Other interventions including SSB taxes, community-wide interventions, and interventions at schools and early care and education centers also show significant improvements in child weight status. Overall public health interventions have strong evidence to support widespread implementation in service of reducing childhood obesity rates at the population level. To effectively address the recalcitrant childhood obesity epidemic, multi-pronged solutions are needed. The current evidence for public health obesity interventions is consistent with the paradigm that recognizes the importance of macrolevel systems influences on childhood obesity: interventions that are most effective intervene at macrolevels.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Heerman
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA.
| | - Erica Kenney
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Jason P Block
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Lauren Fiechtner
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Mass General for Children, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Boston, USA
| | - Ellen McMahon
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA
| | - Lauren Kruse
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA
| | - Mona Sharifi
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
| | - Emma K Edmondson
- Department of Pediatrics and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Division of General Pediatrics, PolicyLab, and Clinical Futures at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Senbagam Virudachalam
- Department of Pediatrics and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Division of General Pediatrics, PolicyLab, and Clinical Futures at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
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Kenney EL, Mozaffarian RS, Ji W, Tucker K, Poole MK, DeAngelo J, Bailey ZD, Cradock AL, Lee RM, Frost N. Moving from Policy to Practice for Early Childhood Obesity Prevention: A Nationwide Evaluation of State Implementation Strategies in Childcare. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10304. [PMID: 36011939 PMCID: PMC9408404 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Policies requiring childcare settings to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and limited screentime have the potential to improve young children's health. However, policies may have limited impact without effective implementation strategies to promote policy adoption. In this mixed-methods study, we evaluated the type, quality, and dose of implementation strategies for state-level childcare licensing regulations focused on healthy eating, physical activity, or screentime using: (1) a survey of state licensing staff and technical assistance providers (n = 89) in 32 states; (2) a structured review of each state's childcare licensing and training websites for childcare providers; and (3) in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 31 childcare licensing administrators and technical assistance providers across 17 states. Implementation strategies for supporting childcare providers in adopting healthy eating, physical activity, and screentime regulations vary substantially by state, in quantity and structure. Childcare programs' financial challenges, staff turnover, and lack of adequate facilities were identified as key barriers to adoption. Access to federal food programs was seen as critical to implementing nutrition regulations. Implementation resources such as training and informational materials were rarely available in multiple languages or targeted to providers serving low-income or racially/ethnically diverse families. There is a substantial need for implementation supports for ensuring policies are successfully and equitably implemented in childcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L. Kenney
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rebecca S. Mozaffarian
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wendy Ji
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kyla Tucker
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mary Kathryn Poole
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Julia DeAngelo
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zinzi D. Bailey
- Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Angie L. Cradock
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rebekka M. Lee
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Natasha Frost
- Public Health Law Center, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
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Stephens L, Rains C, Benjamin-Neelon SE. Connecting Families to Food Resources amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Early Care and Education Providers in Two U.S. States. Nutrients 2021; 13:3137. [PMID: 34579014 PMCID: PMC8465308 DOI: 10.3390/nu13093137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Early care and education (ECE) settings are important avenues for reaching young children and their families with food and nutrition resources, including through the U.S. federally funded Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey of ECE providers in two U.S. states in November 2020 to identify approaches used to connect families with food and nutrition resources amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds of sites reporting no approaches and adjusted Poisson models were used to estimate the incidence rate ratio of the mean number of approaches, comparing sites that participate in CACFP to those that did not. A total of 589 ECE sites provided responses. Of those, 43% (n = 255) participated in CACFP. CACFP participating sites were more likely to report using any approaches to connecting families to food resources and significantly more likely to report offering "grab and go" meals, providing meal delivery, distributing food boxes to families, and recommending community food resources than non-CACFP sites. This study suggests that CACFP sites may have greater capacity to connect families to food resources amid emergencies than non-CACFP participating sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacy Stephens
- National Farm to School Network, P.M.B. #104, 8770 West Bryn Mawr Ave, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60631, USA
| | - Caroline Rains
- Research Triangle Institute International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA;
| | - Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
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