Presented as part of a Canadian Institutes of Health funded Knowledge Translation Supplement grant (KTB-112487). Recorded October 14, 2012 in Australia. Re-broadcast of an earlier recording. Recorded May 23, 2012.

1. This webinar has been made possible with support from the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Welcome!
Childhood Obesity
Prevention:
What’s the evidence?
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2. What’s the evidence?
 Waters, E., de Silva-Sanigorski, A., Hall, B.J., Brown,
T., Campbell, K.J., Gao, Y., Armstrong, R., Prosser,
L., & Summerbell, C.D. (2011). Interventions for
preventing obesity in children. Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews, 2011(12): Art. No.:
CD001871
 http://health-evidence.ca/articles/show/15329

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4. This webinar has been made possible with support from the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Welcome!
Childhood Obesity
Prevention:
What’s the evidence?

5. The Health Evidence Team
Kara DeCorby Heather Husson
Administrative Director Project Manager
Maureen Dobbins
Scientific Director
Tel: 905 525-9140 ext 22481
E-mail: dobbinsm@mcmaster.ca
Lori Greco Robyn Traynor Lyndsey McRae
Knowledge Broker Research Coordinator Research Assistant

6. What is www.health-evidence.ca?
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inform
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1. Saves you time
2. Relevant & current evidence
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8. Knowledge Translation
Supplement Project
CIHR-funded KTB-112487

9. Review
 Waters, E., de Silva-Sanigorski, A., Hall, B.J., Brown, T.,
Campbell, K.J., Gao, Y., Armstrong, R., Prosser, L., &
Summerbell, C.D. (2011). Interventions for
preventing obesity in children. Cochrane Database
of Systematic Reviews, 2011(12): Art. No.: CD001871

10. Professor Elizabeth Waters
Jack Brockhoff Chair of Child Public Health
Director: The Jack Brockhoff Child Health and Wellbeing Program
Coordinating Editor: Cochrane Public Health Group
Melbourne School of Population Health
University of Melbourne
ewaters@unimelb.edu.au
Prof Waters and daughter Lara
participating in a local Kitchen
Garden Program
Australian review authors at the Dec 2011 launch in
Melbourne: (L – R) Belinda Hall; Karen Campbell; Liz
The McCaughey Centre VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing
Melbourne School of Population Health Waters; Andrea de Silva-Sanigorski; Rebecca Armstrong

11. The McCaughey Centre VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing
Melbourne School of Population Health

12. Public Health Evidence & Knowledge Translation
research group – incorporating Cochrane Public
Health group, University of Melbourne
http://ph.cochrane.org @CochranePH
• Cochrane Public Health Group
• Cochrane reviews of complex, multi-sectoral, multi-
component, population-level public health
interventions
• Focus on ‘what works for whom and why’; evidence
for action on social determinants; equity
• Engage with stakeholders, decision-makers,
practitioners
• Dissemination
• Evidence summaries, practitioner resources
• Workforce capacity building – training
• Systematic reviews, Evidence-informed public health
• Knowledge translation research
• NHMRC funded study in Local Govts
The McCaughey Centre VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing
Melbourne School of Population Health

13. The McCaughey Centre VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing
Melbourne School of Population Health

14. Questions?

15. Summary Statement:
Waters (2011)
 P 0-18 years
 I community, school, home, day care, preschool –
promoting healthy eating, physical activity, social
support
 C usual care
 O primary outcome – BMI
Quality Rating 9 (strong)

16. Overall Considerations
Favorable impact observed for BMI:
 6-12 years only
 physical activity/nutrition interventions combined
 in education setting alone
 of short or long duration
Results consistent across research designs

17. General Implications
Public health should promote/support/implement:
 strategies to prevent obesity among 6-12 year olds
 in education setting
 focused on healthy eating and physical activity
 of various durations
 different strategies are needed for young children and
adolescents
 Long term impact remains unclear

18. What’s the evidence
 Overall BMI -0.15 (95% CI -0.21, -0.09)
 6-12 years -0.15 (95% CI -0.23, -0.08)
 Not statistically significant 0-5 or 13-18

19. Overall Meta Analysis Results
Subgroup: 0-5 years

20. Overall Meta Analysis Results
Subgroup: 6-12 years

21. Overall Meta Analysis Results
Subgroup: 13-18 years

22. Implications for practice and policy
 Support obesity prevention in education settings
 Continue to investigate strategies for other age groups

23. Intervention Type
 Combined physical activity and nutrition interventions
-0.18 (95% CI -0.27, -0.09)
 Physical activity alone -0.11 (95% CI - -0.19,-0.02)
 Nutrition alone (not significant)

24. Implications for practice and policy
 Support interventions to change physical activity and
healthy eating behaviours in 6-12 years
 Environment and culture

25. Intervention Setting
 Education setting only -0.14 (95% CI -0.21, -0.08)
 Education + other settings, or non-ed settings only not
effective
 Sig effect in non-education settings for <5 years

26. Implications for practice and policy
 Curriculum development
 More physical activity sessions
 Nutritional quality of food
 Training and capacity development for teachers and staff
 Parents of young children

27. Intervention length
 Programs < than or > than 12 months have similar
positive effect

28. Implications for practice and policy
 Tailor program length to needs of education setting

29. Research Designs
 Randomization not a factor
 Innovative ideas for 0-5 and 13-18 need to be
developed and evaluated

30. Overall Considerations
Favorable impact observed for BMI:
 6-12 years only
 physical activity/nutrition interventions combined
 in education setting alone
 of short or long duration
Results consistent across research designs

31. General Implications
Public health should promote/support/implement:
 strategies to prevent obesity among 6-12 year olds
 in education setting
 focused on healthy eating and physical activity
 of various durations
 different strategies are needed for young children and
adolescents
 Long term impact remains unclear

32. Questions?

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