The effects of physical activity and eating habits on obesity levels among children aged between 6 and 12 years old: systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Physical activity and eating habits are variables to take into account for the analysis and correction of obesity problems. The objective of this review was to evaluate the effects of physical activity and eating habits on obesity levels in children between 6 and 12 years of age. Material and method: A bibliographic search was carried out in the WOS and SCOPUS databases. The eligibility criteria were established based on the acronym PICOS: (P) basic education children between 6 and 12 years of age, (I) studies that carried out interventions of the nutritional component, the physical activity component or a combination of both of them. This in the school, sports and / or family environment, (C) be subjected to evaluation using the PEDRO scale and obtain a score equal o or greater than 7, (O) evaluate the effect of food programs and / or physical activity on childhood obesity, (S) randomized controlled studies, published between 2015 and 2020. Results: 6,388 articles were identified, but only those that met the inclusion criteria were included. but only those that met the inclusion criteria (34 studies) were included. The most effective interventions were found to be those combined with a medium duration of intervention, and parental involvement and gender may influence the effectiveness of these interventions. Conclusion: Interventions that consider the component of physical activity and eating habits together are the most effective in achieving a decrease in obesity levels in children 6 to 12 years of age.