Evidence mapPaperPMID 41978669Full record

ArticleCampbell systematic reviews2025

PROTOCOL: Effectiveness of Interventions for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity in Children and Adolescents From Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Gerardo A Zavala, Muhammad Asim, Aliya Ayub, Abdul Momin Rizwan Ahmad, Asha Prasad Pillai, Elena Pavlou, Avantika Sharma, Bilal Ahmad Khan, Hira Shakoor, Liina Mansukoski and 17 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Campbell systematic reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

27 authors.

Gerardo A ZavalaDepartment of Health Sciences University of York York UK.
Muhammad AsimInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6759-8889
Aliya AyubInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Abdul Momin Rizwan AhmadDepartment of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, NUST School of Health Sciences National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) Islamabad Pakistan.
Asha Prasad PillaiDepartment of Health Sciences University of York York UK.
Elena PavlouDepartment of Health Sciences University of York York UK.
Avantika SharmaDepartment of Health Sciences University of York York UK.
Bilal Ahmad KhanOffice of Research, Innovation and Commercialization Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Hira ShakoorInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Liina MansukoskiHull York Medical School University of York York UK.
Olga P Garcia ObregonFaculty of Natural Sciences Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro Santiago de Querétaro Mexico.
Umber KhanThe Aga Khan University Karachi Pakistan.
Zala KhanInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Aliya RehmanInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Badur Un NisaDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences Shifa Tameer e Millat University Islamabad Pakistan.
Humaira BibiInstitute of Psychiatry (IoP), Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi Medical University Rawalpindi Pakistan.
Romania IqbalThe Aga Khan University Karachi Pakistan.
Suneel GillInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Urooj AshfaqInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Farman Ullah KhanInstitute of Public Health and Social Sciences Khyber Medical University Peshawar Pakistan.
Zulfiqar BhuttaThe Aga Khan University Karachi Pakistan.
Sarah ForbergerDepartment of Health Sciences University of York York UK.
Kamran SiddiqiDepartment of Health Sciences University of York York UK.
Marc SuhrckeCentre for Health Economics University of York York UK.
Simon WalkerCentre for Health Economics University of York York UK.
Zainab SamadThe Aga Khan University Karachi Pakistan.
Saima AfaqDepartment of Health Sciences University of York York UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Childhood obesity represents a major and growing public health challenge, with a disproportionate burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review will address a critical evidence gap by synthesising existing research on the effectiveness of interventions for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity in LMICs. By focusing exclusively on interventions implemented within LMIC contexts, the review will account for the unique socio-cultural, economic, and environmental determinants that influence intervention delivery and effectiveness in these settings. A literature search will be conducted across MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library, without restrictions on publication date or language. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining interventions for the prevention or treatment of overweight and obesity among children aged 5-9 years and adolescents aged 10-19 years will be included. The primary outcomes will be age-adjusted body mass index (BMI), other measures of adiposity, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Secondary outcomes including dietary intake, physical activity, health-related quality of life, and adverse events will be reported narratively but excluded from the meta-analysis. Two independent reviewers will screen the studies, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. Intervention effectiveness will first be summarised descriptively according to intervention type and key characteristics. Where appropriate, pooled effect sizes will be estimated using a random-effects meta-analysis. To explore and manage heterogeneity, analyses will be stratified by age group (children vs adolescents) and intervention purpose (prevention vs treatment). This review will identify effective strategies for preventing and treating childhood obesity in LMICs and explore the intervention features associated with successful outcomes. The findings will inform policy development and support the design and implementation of contextually appropriate interventions, contributing to global efforts to reduce obesity and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Identifiers

PMID41978669
PMCPMC12706647

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.