Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-05-26DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.70025
Matzourana Argyropoulou, Costas A Anastasiou, Maria Papamichael, Greet Cardon, Stavros Liatis, Jaana Lindstrom, Luis A Moreno, Violeta Iotova, Yuliya Bazdarska, Tsvetalina Tankova, Imre Rurik, Peter Toprzsa, Katja Wikström, Konstantinos Makrilakis, Yannis Manios
Background: Curbing the rise in overweight and obesity in childhood is of top priority in the public health agenda.
Objective: To examine the effectiveness of a 2-year school-based intervention on children's body mass index (BMI) z-score, considering children's baseline weight status, as well as to identify socio-demographic factors that could predict a positive weight outcome.
Methods: Data were collected from 9255 children 5-12 years, from six European countries, participating in the Feel4Diabetes study. The intervention group received a lifestyle intervention, aiming to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Children's anthropometrics were measured at baseline and 2-year follow-up.
Results: Children with overweight, but not with obesity, at baseline randomized in the intervention group had a higher reduction in BMI z-scores compared to the control group. In logistic regression models, older age, female sex, overweight or obesity increased the likelihood of any decrease in BMI z-score in the intervention group. Mother's obesity and a lower family income were associated with a decreased probability of a positive weight outcome from the intervention.
Conclusions: The Feel4Diabetes school-based intervention demonstrated that it could effectively improve the BMI z-score among children with overweight, but not with obesity. Family's characteristics (mother's weight and family income) may affect the effectiveness of such interventions and should be considered in relevant public health efforts.
{"title":"A school-based intervention for obesity prevention and management: Effectiveness and determinants of its success. The Feel4Diabetes study.","authors":"Matzourana Argyropoulou, Costas A Anastasiou, Maria Papamichael, Greet Cardon, Stavros Liatis, Jaana Lindstrom, Luis A Moreno, Violeta Iotova, Yuliya Bazdarska, Tsvetalina Tankova, Imre Rurik, Peter Toprzsa, Katja Wikström, Konstantinos Makrilakis, Yannis Manios","doi":"10.1111/ijpo.70025","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ijpo.70025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Curbing the rise in overweight and obesity in childhood is of top priority in the public health agenda.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To examine the effectiveness of a 2-year school-based intervention on children's body mass index (BMI) z-score, considering children's baseline weight status, as well as to identify socio-demographic factors that could predict a positive weight outcome.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected from 9255 children 5-12 years, from six European countries, participating in the Feel4Diabetes study. The intervention group received a lifestyle intervention, aiming to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Children's anthropometrics were measured at baseline and 2-year follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Children with overweight, but not with obesity, at baseline randomized in the intervention group had a higher reduction in BMI z-scores compared to the control group. In logistic regression models, older age, female sex, overweight or obesity increased the likelihood of any decrease in BMI z-score in the intervention group. Mother's obesity and a lower family income were associated with a decreased probability of a positive weight outcome from the intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Feel4Diabetes school-based intervention demonstrated that it could effectively improve the BMI z-score among children with overweight, but not with obesity. Family's characteristics (mother's weight and family income) may affect the effectiveness of such interventions and should be considered in relevant public health efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":217,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Obesity","volume":" ","pages":"e70025"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12329621/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144148807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-06-12DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.70033
Vicki Brown, Brittany J Johnson, Thomas Lung, Alison Hayes, Karen Matvienko-Sikar, Konsita Kuswara, Elisabeth Huynh
Background: Understanding stakeholder preferences and values for early childhood initiatives to support healthy diets, physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour is key for effective intervention design and resource allocation. This study aims to estimate the preferences for and value of outcomes from the perspectives of parents/caregivers of Australian children aged from birth to 5 years.
Methods: Discrete choice experiment, 466 parent/caregivers recruited from online platform. Participants selected between two healthy lifestyle initiatives or a "neither" option. Initiatives were described by attributes including cost, participation and outcomes. Mixed multinomial logistic models were used to determine preferences and willingness-to-pay per annum framed as an increase in income taxes.
Results: Effect on diet was the most important influence on parent/caregiver choice to participate (p < 0.01), followed by effect on physical activity (p < 0.01), wellbeing (p < 0.01) and healthy growth (p < 0.01). Parents/caregivers were less sensitive to cost for initiatives aimed at specific children (e.g., targeted initiatives for a priority population). Willingness-to-pay estimates ranged from AUD$176 for improved wellbeing to $219 for healthier diets.
Conclusions: Results suggest that leveraging the potential for healthier diets, followed by healthier physical activity behaviours, as a key benefit of participation may be particularly attractive to parents/caregivers. In addition, some level of equity preference could be acceptable to parents/caregivers in the allocation of scarce resources.
{"title":"Preferences and willingness to pay for early childhood healthy lifestyle initiative outcomes: A discrete choice experiment.","authors":"Vicki Brown, Brittany J Johnson, Thomas Lung, Alison Hayes, Karen Matvienko-Sikar, Konsita Kuswara, Elisabeth Huynh","doi":"10.1111/ijpo.70033","DOIUrl":"10.1111/ijpo.70033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Understanding stakeholder preferences and values for early childhood initiatives to support healthy diets, physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour is key for effective intervention design and resource allocation. This study aims to estimate the preferences for and value of outcomes from the perspectives of parents/caregivers of Australian children aged from birth to 5 years.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Discrete choice experiment, 466 parent/caregivers recruited from online platform. Participants selected between two healthy lifestyle initiatives or a \"neither\" option. Initiatives were described by attributes including cost, participation and outcomes. Mixed multinomial logistic models were used to determine preferences and willingness-to-pay per annum framed as an increase in income taxes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Effect on diet was the most important influence on parent/caregiver choice to participate (p < 0.01), followed by effect on physical activity (p < 0.01), wellbeing (p < 0.01) and healthy growth (p < 0.01). Parents/caregivers were less sensitive to cost for initiatives aimed at specific children (e.g., targeted initiatives for a priority population). Willingness-to-pay estimates ranged from AUD$176 for improved wellbeing to $219 for healthier diets.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Results suggest that leveraging the potential for healthier diets, followed by healthier physical activity behaviours, as a key benefit of participation may be particularly attractive to parents/caregivers. In addition, some level of equity preference could be acceptable to parents/caregivers in the allocation of scarce resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":217,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Obesity","volume":" ","pages":"e70033"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12329628/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catherine C. Cohen, Dana Dabelea, Madhumita Sinha, Alan M. Delamater, Deborah H. Glueck, Christine W. Hockett, Mary A. Hoskin, Spero Manson, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Phoutdavone Phimphasone-Brady, Jeffrey C. Powell, Dorota Wasak, Alexandra V. Stamatoiu, Rachel I. Steinberg, Katherine A. Sauder