ArticleCMAJ open
Prevention of overweight and obesity in children and youth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in CMAJ open. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
51 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 104 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of theory-based physical activity interventions in preventing childhood obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2026Pooled it
- Optimal exercise dose on Body Mass Index (BMI) in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and bayesian model-based network meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2025Pooled it
- Interventions to prevent obesity in children aged 5 to 11 years old.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Interventions to prevent obesity in children aged 12 to 18 years old.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Effects of different exercise modalities and intensities on body composition in overweight and obese children and adolescents: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Pooled it
- Comparative Effectiveness of East Asian Traditional Medicine for Childhood Simple Obesity: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- The effectiveness of pediatric obesity prevention policies: a comprehensive systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials.Journal of translational medicine · 2020Pooled it
- A developmental cascade perspective of paediatric obesity: A systematic review of preventive interventions from infancy through late adolescence.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2020Pooled it
- Prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity: a systematic review of meta-analyses.World journal of pediatrics : WJP · 2019Pooled it
- Recommendations for growth monitoring, and prevention and management of overweight and obesity in children and youth in primary care.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2015Guideline
- The Effects of a Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Body Image Intervention on Girls in Intermediate Schools in Saudi Arabia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Efficacy of a school-based obesity prevention intervention at reducing added sugar and sodium in children's school lunches: the LA Health randomized controlled trial.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2018Trial
- Effects of the Healthy Start randomized intervention on dietary intake among obesity-prone normal-weight children.Public health nutrition · 2017Trial
- Trial
- Effectiveness of school-based intervention in obese children.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2026Article
- Social jetlag is associated with body mass (BMI) in children aged 2-8years: A cross-sectional analysis.Sleep health · 2025Article
- Article
- Barriers and enablers to effective weight management for people living with overweight and obesity: A rapid scoping review.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025Article
- Application of Combined Dietary and Exercise Intervention in Pediatric Obesity and Its Impact on Anthropometric Measurements and Blood Lipid Parameters.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2025Article
- Race, Ethnicity, and Geography as Determinants of Excessive Weight and Low Physical Activity in Pediatric Population: Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOne-third of Canadian children are overweight or obese. This problem carries considerable concern for negative impacts on current and future health. Promoting healthy growth and development is critical. This review synthesized evidence on the effectiveness of behavioural interventions for preventing overweight and obesity in children and adolescents.
methodsWe updated the search of a previous Cochrane review. Five databases were searched up to August 2013. Randomized trials of primary care-relevant behavioural (diet, exercise and lifestyle) interventions for preventing overweight and obesity in healthy normal- or mixed-weight children or youth aged 0-18 years were included if 12-week postbaseline data were provided for body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score, or prevalence of overweight or obesity. Any study reporting harms was included. Meta-analyses were performed if possible. Features of interventions showing significant benefits were examined.
resultsNinety studies were included, all with mixed-weight populations. Compared with controls, interventions showed a small but significant effect on BMI and BMI z-score (standardized mean difference -0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.10 to -0.03, I (2) = 74%), a reduction in BMI (mean difference -0.09 kg/m(2), 95% CI -0.16 to -0.03, I (2) = 76%) and a reduced prevalence of overweight and obesity (risk ratio [RR]; RRintervention - RRcontrol 0.94, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.99, I (2) = 0%; number needed to treat 51, 95% CI 29 to 289). Little evidence was available on harms. There was variability across efficacious interventions, although many of the interventions were short-term, involved school-aged children and were delivered in educational settings.
interpretationBehavioural prevention interventions are associated with small improvements in weight outcomes in mixed-weight populations of children and adolescents. No intervention strategy consistently produced benefits. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO no. CRD42012002754.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.