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Family-based interventions to increase physical activity in children: a systematic review, meta-analysis and realist

H E Brown1, A J Atkin1, J Panter1

  • 1MRC Epidemiology Unit and UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Obesity Reviews : an Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|January 13, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Family-based interventions effectively increase child physical activity (PA). This review synthesized evidence, offering recommendations for developing effective programs to promote PA in children through family engagement.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Family-based interventions are a promising strategy for enhancing physical activity (PA) in children.
  • Existing research requires synthesis to guide the development of effective PA programs for children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a dual meta-analysis and realist synthesis of family-based interventions aimed at increasing child PA.
  • To identify effective strategies and contextual factors for promoting PA uptake and maintenance in children.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic screening identified studies with participants aged 5-12 years, focusing on family engagement for PA increase.
  • Duplicate data extraction and quality assessment were performed.
  • Meta-analysis (19 studies) and realist synthesis (28 studies) were employed.

Main Results:

  • Meta-analysis showed a significant small effect favoring interventions (SMD: 0.41; 95% CI 0.15-0.67), reduced to 0.29 (95% CI 0.14-0.45) after outlier removal.
  • Realist synthesis highlighted the importance of family context (constraints, ethnicity, motivation) and strategies like goal-setting and reinforcement.
  • Study quality varied, with only three receiving a 'strong' rating.

Conclusions:

  • Evidence supports family-based interventions for increasing child PA.
  • Recommendations are provided for policymakers and practitioners to develop evidence-based programs.
  • Future research directions for optimizing child PA interventions are identified.
Abstract

Keywords:
Familyinterventionsphysical activity

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