Systematic review into city interventions to address obesity

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Obesity is a significant global health challenge, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.
• Cities, as centers of population and social change, are key environments for obesity interventions.
• Addressing obesity in urban settings is critical for public health and life expectancy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify city-wide interventions aimed at reducing obesity.
• To provide recommendations for policymakers and health leaders in urban environments.
• To explore the link between personal health and planetary health in the context of obesity.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted.
• Searched multiple databases and included academic sources, books, and policy papers.
• Included studies describing city-wide obesity interventions, regardless of design or quality, in English.

Main Results:

• Identified 96 relevant citations from 36 cities published between 1997 and 2019.
• The majority of publications originated from North America, particularly the USA and New York City.
• Heterogeneity in study design and methodology was observed, with a prevalence of qualitative assessments.

Conclusions:

• Multi-level and multi-component interventions are essential for effective obesity reduction.
• A composite of interventions is proposed for cities to address obesity.
• These interventions can benefit both personal and planetary health, highlighting their interconnectedness.