TY - JOUR
T1 - PROTOCOL
T2 - 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
AU - Zavala, Gerardo A.
AU - Asim, Muhammad
AU - Ayub, Aliya
AU - Ahmad, Abdul Momin Rizwan
AU - Pillai, Asha Prasad
AU - Pavlou, Elena
AU - Sharma, Avantika
AU - Khan, Bilal Ahmad
AU - Shakoor, Hira
AU - Mansukoski, Liina
AU - Obregon, Olga P.Garcia
AU - Khan, Umber
AU - Khan, Zala
AU - Rehman, Aliya
AU - Nisa, Badur Un
AU - Bibi, Humaira
AU - Iqbal, Romania
AU - Gill, Suneel
AU - Ashfaq, Urooj
AU - Khan, Farman Ullah
AU - Bhutta, Zulfiqar
AU - Forberger, Sarah
AU - Siddiqi, Kamran
AU - Suhrcke, Marc
AU - Walker, Simon
AU - Samad, Zainab
AU - Afaq, Saima
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Campbell Systematic Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Campbell Collaboration.
PY - 2025/12
Y1 - 2025/12
N2 - 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).
AB - 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).
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025106526
U2 - 10.1002/cl2.70081
DO - 10.1002/cl2.70081
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:105025106526
SN - 1891-1803
VL - 21
JO - Campbell Systematic Reviews
JF - Campbell Systematic Reviews
IS - 4
M1 - e70081
ER -
