Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.2
4.8
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Nutrition Interventions for Pediatric Obesity Prevention
nutrients-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Nutrition Interventions for Pediatric Obesity Prevention

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Obesity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2025 | Viewed by 11318

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mary R. Rozga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Chicago, IL, USA
Interests: nutrition assessment; obesity; metabolism; human nutrition; applied nutrition; nutritional medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is considerable evidence demonstrating that nutrition and physical activity interventions in the home, school, healthcare, and community settings can help in preventing pediatric obesity. However, to be effective, interventions must target the appropriate developmental stage and ideally include multiple components (e.g, nutrition and physical activity) and settings or levels (e.g., family, school, policy, neighbourhood environment). In addition, while nutrition and physical activity interventions are key in helping reduce the risk of obesity and associated adverse health outcomes, it is crucial to consider, and ideally, address, how social determinants of health and environmental factors contribute to these health outcomes.

The aim of this Special Issue is to investigate the impact of comprehensive or complex exposures or interventions on the prevention of pediatric obesity. We welcome submissions related to exposures and interventions in the family and school settings, as well as interventions tailored to individual needs and circumstances. Study designs may include interventions, observational studies, the modeling of publicly available data from the general population, or other methods to investigate the impact of comprehensive or complex exposures or interventions on the prevention of pediatric obesity. We encourage authors to consider how social determinants of health, food access, dietary intake, and environmental factors impact the prevention of pediatric obesity.

Thank you for your contributions.

Dr. Mary R. Rozga
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pediatric obesity
  • social determinants of health
  • nutritional status
  • schools
  • home environment
  • food insecurity
  • nutritional therapy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

27 pages, 2010 KiB  
Article
Assessing Lifestyle Patterns and Their Influence on Weight Status in Students from a High School in Sibiu, Romania: An Adaptation of ISCOLE Questionnaires and the Child Feeding Questionnaire
by Mihai Octavian Negrea, Gabriel Octavian Negrea, Gabriela Săndulescu, Bogdan Neamtu, Adelaida Solomon, Mirela Livia Popa, Oana Stoia, Carmen Daniela Domnariu and Minodora Teodoru
Nutrients 2024, 16(10), 1532; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16101532 - 20 May 2024
Viewed by 1350
Abstract
The escalation of global obesity is driving research to understand environmental influences on this process, particularly during vulnerable developmental stages such as childhood and adolescence. Efforts include the development of various structured data collection tools. We aimed to adapt a series of previously [...] Read more.
The escalation of global obesity is driving research to understand environmental influences on this process, particularly during vulnerable developmental stages such as childhood and adolescence. Efforts include the development of various structured data collection tools. We aimed to adapt a series of previously validated questionnaires from the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE), the Child Feeding Questionnaire, and elements from the World Health Organization Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) in order to assess local lifestyle patterns among Romanian high school students and their families that may predispose them to obesity. To this goal, an expert committee was formed as part of a research partnership to oversee the questionnaire’s translation and adaptation. It consisted of education and school management specialists, clinical research professionals, language experts, and public health experts. The adapted questionnaires were then applied to 114 students enrolled in the 9th and 10th grades attending a high school situated in Sibiu, and their parents. The variables measured were investigated for correlations with overweight and obesity and, as a secondary objective, academic performance. The study revealed several critical findings, including suboptimal sleep durations and physical activity levels among students, a significant amount of screen time, and correlations between weight status and physical activity, sedentary time, and maternal weight status and education levels. The adapted questionnaires proved to be effective tools in capturing the multifaceted factors implicated in adolescent obesity, providing a foundation for targeted interventions and broader public health strategies to address this issue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition Interventions for Pediatric Obesity Prevention)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 866 KiB  
Article
A Randomized Controlled Cluster Trial of an Obesity Prevention Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs: Methods and Implications
by Ruby Natale, Michelle Schladant, Martha H. Bloyer, Julieta Hernandez, Joanne Palenzuela, Yaray Agosto, Youmeizi Peng and Sarah E. Messiah
Nutrients 2024, 16(9), 1274; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091274 - 25 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1294
Abstract
Children with disabilities have higher prevalence estimates of obesity than typically developing children. The Healthy Caregivers–Healthy Children Phase 3 (HC3) project implemented an obesity prevention program adapted for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) that includes dietary intake and physical activity (PA) [...] Read more.
Children with disabilities have higher prevalence estimates of obesity than typically developing children. The Healthy Caregivers–Healthy Children Phase 3 (HC3) project implemented an obesity prevention program adapted for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) that includes dietary intake and physical activity (PA) components. The primary outcome was a change in dietary intake, PA, and the body mass index (BMI) percentile. Ten childcare centers (CCCs) serving low-resource families with ≥30 2- to 5-year-olds attending were randomized to either the intervention (n = 5) or control (n = 5). The HC3 CCCs received (1) snack, beverage, PA, and screen time policies via weekly technical assistance; (2) adapted lesson plans for CSHCN; and (3) parent curricula. The control CCCs received a behavioral health attention curriculum. HC3 was delivered over three school years, with data collected at five different timepoints. It was delivered weekly for six months in year one. To ensure capacity building, the HC3 tasks were scaled back, with quarterly intervention delivery in year 2 and annually in year 3. Adaptations were made to the curriculum to ensure appropriate access for CSHCN. Given that the program was being delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, special modifications were made to follow CDC safety standards. The primary outcome measures included the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) tool, standardized dietary intake and PA assessments, and the child BMI percentile. CCCs are an ideal setting for targeting CSHCN for obesity prevention efforts as they provide an opportunity to address modifiable risk factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition Interventions for Pediatric Obesity Prevention)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 871 KiB  
Article
Social Network, Food Patterns, Physical Activity and Associations with Overweight and Obesity in Adolescents from a School in Rural Brazil
by Maria de Jesus Xavier Aguirre, Flavia Cristina Drumond Andrade, Moisés Alberto Calle Aguirre, Josivan Ribeiro Justino and Bruna Leal Lima Maciel
Nutrients 2023, 15(15), 3305; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15153305 - 26 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3061
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the social network, food patterns, physical activity, and their associations with overweight/obesity in adolescents from a school in rural Brazil. Students from a rural school in Northeast Brazil (n = 90) completed questionnaires on [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the social network, food patterns, physical activity, and their associations with overweight/obesity in adolescents from a school in rural Brazil. Students from a rural school in Northeast Brazil (n = 90) completed questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, food consumption, physical activity, and a name generator. Social networks were constructed using students’ social proximity ties. Principal component analysis was performed to determine food patterns, and logistic models were used to investigate variables associated with overweight/obesity. Most participants were girls (62.9%), and the proportion of overweight/obesity was 30% among adolescents. Students cited 2070 people from their networks (family, friends at school, friends outside of school, and others). Among them, the family had the highest degree of influence (61%) in the network and had the most shared meals with adolescents (47%). Adolescents’ perception of their family members’ body size as obese, compared to normal or underweight, was prevalent (51%). Adolescents with unhealthy food patterns were 72% more likely to be categorized as overweight/obese, and eigenvector centrality was also associated with overweight/obesity (OR = 5.88, 95% CI = 1.08–32.03). Adolescents presented a social network with strong family influence, in which a high percentage of overweight/obesity was observed. Adolescents with high eigenvector centrality were more likely to be in the overweight/obesity category. Additionally, overweight/obesity was associated with unhealthy food patterns in the family network. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition Interventions for Pediatric Obesity Prevention)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

25 pages, 885 KiB  
Systematic Review
Nutrition Interventions for Pediatric Obesity Prevention: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews
by Mary Rozga and Deepa Handu
Nutrients 2023, 15(24), 5097; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15245097 - 13 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5353
Abstract
Nutrition interventions to prevent pediatric obesity can help to establish healthy habits to improve current and future health. The objective of this umbrella review of systematic reviews (SRs) is to examine the impact of obesity prevention interventions with a nutrition component on body [...] Read more.
Nutrition interventions to prevent pediatric obesity can help to establish healthy habits to improve current and future health. The objective of this umbrella review of systematic reviews (SRs) is to examine the impact of obesity prevention interventions with a nutrition component on body mass index measures, overweight/obesity prevalence, and cost-effectiveness in participants 2–17 years old. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methods were used, and this umbrella review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023443033). Included SRs were required to search ≥2 databases and to assess the risk of bias (RoB) of primary studies, and they were published 2017–June 2023. Database searches identified 4776 articles, and 31 SRs were included. In all age groups combined, interventions with both nutrition and physical activity were effective and cost-effective in all settings combined, and in the community setting specifically. In children ≤5 years old, interventions in the home and family, community, and healthcare settings demonstrated some efficacy, whereas in children 6–12 years old, school interventions were most effective. Evidence with individuals 13–17 years was limited. The certainty of evidence was generally low due to RoB in included studies, inconsistency, and imprecision. Pediatric obesity prevention interventions with nutrition should be tailored to the developmental stage to ensure appropriateness and efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition Interventions for Pediatric Obesity Prevention)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop