Evaluation Of Physical Activity And Diet Interventions In Preventing Childhood Obesity In The United States Of America: A Systematic Review

Introduction: In the United States, ethnic/racial minorities and poor socioeconomic status children are disproportionately affected by childhood obesity. Among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member states, the United States has the highest obesity rate in the world. In an investigation of the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States, no age group showed indications of a decrease. Obesity prevention in children is a global priority. Diet and physical activity are considered to be changeable behavioural factors that affect overweight and obesity. A significant body of research on behavioural risk factors associated with childhood obesity implies that physical activity and eating behaviours are related and likely bidirectionally causal, and hence should be explored simultaneously in this study. Methods: A narrative synthesis for quantitative studies was chosen to answer the research questions in this systematic review because it helps to organise, describe, investigate, and evaluate study findings. The systematic search utilised specified combinations of MeSH words, Boolean operators, and Truncation and was conducted using three databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, and Child Development & Adolescent Studies and covered between the year 2016 and 2022. The study followed the PRISMA guideline to eliminate irrelevant papers. Only ten papers published in English were selected for the study. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for Randomised Control Trial (RCT) research appraisal instrument was utilised to evaluate the study's quality. Results: Included were ten studies from across the United States between the year 2016 to 2022. These studies were undertaken primarily in two distinct settings: the school and the community. The review found that childhood obesity is still pervasive in the United States, especially among racial/ethnic minorities and low-income groups, and will continue to rise if not adequately addressed. Conclusions: The current behavioural interventions, which include physical activity and nutrition education, are capable of positively influencing weight-related outcomes and BMI among 5 to 18-year-old children in the United States, but an integrated multicomponent strategy will achieve better results. Nonetheless, future RCT research should focus a greater emphasis on systemic therapies, such as policy and socioeconomic interventions.