The authors urged that their findings be “interpreted cautiously’’ because their meta-analysis included several small studies that may have overstated the effectiveness of some programs. They were, though, able to glean some broad strategies that appeared to have the most impact, including:
- a school curriculum that includes healthy eating, physical activity, and body image discussions
- increased time for gym, and movement activities built into English, science, or math classes
- improved nutrition in school lunches emphasizing less saturated fat and calories and more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- creating an environment that makes it easy for kids to choose healthful foods and be active throughout the day
- support for teachers and other staff trying to implement new strategies
- support for parents trying to encourage their kids to eat more nutritiously and spend less time staring at computers, TV, and other screens.
While the Cochrane review focused on obesity prevention, those same strategies have proven useful for treating overweight children, said Dr. David Ludwig, director of the obesity prevention center at Children’s Hospital Boston. “They differ only in the intensity that we deploy them,’’ with more regimented eating and exercise plans needed to help children lose excess fat.
Ludwig also wasn’t surprised to see that many interventions in the Cochrane review had the best results in younger children. “It’s less difficult to make a behavioral change since parents have more influence.’’
I see this with my own three kids who - as they move through middle school and high school - get more independent about taking snacks and making simple meals for themselves and spend a lot more time after school on their computers and iPods.
So what can I do to ensure that I’m taking the right approaches with them to keep them at a healthy weight?
