Effectiveness of pre‐school‐ and school‐based interventions to impact weight‐related behaviours in African American children and youth: a literature review

Abstract

SummaryThis review assessed the effectiveness of pre-school-and school-based obesity prevention and/or treatment interventions targeting healthy eating, physical activity or obesity in African American children and adolescents. Systematic searches were conducted for English-printed research articles published between January 1980 and March 2013. Retained articles included experimental studies conducted in the United States that targeted ≥80% African American/black children and adolescents and/or studies whose results were stratified by race/ethnicity, and that were conducted in pre-schools/head start or schools (excluding after-school programmes). Of the 12,270 articles identified, 17 met the inclusion criteria (preschool, n = 2; elementary school, n = 7; middle and secondary schools, n = 8). Thirteen studies found significant improvements in nutrition (pre-school, n = 1; elementary, n = 7; secondary, n = 5) and three found significant improvements in physical activity (pre-school, n = 1; elementary, n = 2) variables of interest. Two studies (pre-school, n = 1; secondary, n = 1) reported significant reductions in obesity in African American children. The evidence available suggests schoolbased interventions are effective in promoting healthy nutrition behaviours in African American children. Conclusions overall and, particularly, about effects on physical activity and obesity are limited due to the small number of studies, differences in assessment approaches and a lack of follow-up assessments.

Eating Good and Moving Like We Should: A Consideration for Registered Dietitians in Schools

“…These results supported the findings of several systematic reviews of school-based nutrition interventions, which report moderate evidence of BMI reduction (24,25). One of these reviews, Lavelle et al (33) found that interventions that targeted overweight/obese children reduced their BMI by 0.35 (95% CI: 0.12, 0.58, P = 0.003).…”

“…However, less than 1% of the child nutrition program directors in Mississippi are registered dietitians, a statistic that is similar in many states. Schoolbased nutrition interventions have shown positive effects on body mass index (BMI) values in elementary children, but mixed results have been reported (20)(21)(22)(23), and few interventions have been conducted with African American children (24). Also, as stated by Roseman et al (25) who recommended multi-component interventions, the opportunities for extended impact in school-based interventions may be limited when faced with the challenges of the school schedule, academic testing, state-mandated curricula, and multiple levels of school administration.…”

Motor Competence and its Effect on Positive Developmental Trajectories of Health

“…Over the past few decades, a wealth of research has been conducted in an attempt to alleviate the disturbing trends in these health domains. However, research indicates that these interventions have had limited success [1][2][3][4]. Largely unexplored is the understanding of how the development of multiple health-related variables may synergistically impact each other to promote either positive or negative trajectories of health.…”

Effects of a School-Based Intervention on BMI z-Scores and Fitness Parameters in Mississippi Delta Children

“…School-based nutrition interventions have shown positive effects on body mass index (BMI) values in elementary children, but with mixed results (17)(18)(19)(20), and few interventions have been conducted with African American children (21). This lack of information can make it hard to design interventions for areas with a high percentage of African-Americans, like in Mississippi and the Mississippi Delta.…”

“…In a literature review of all pre-school and school-based obesity prevention or treatment interventions, Robinson et al (21) found only 17 studies published between January 1980 and March 2013 that targeted populations that were more than 80% African American. The authors stressed that there are still deficits in understanding what must be done to address the disparities that contribute to obesity in this population (21).…”