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Effectiveness of peer-led programs for overweight and obesity in children: systematic review and meta-analysis

Ngoc-Minh Nguyen1,2, Michael J Dibley3, Hong K Tang4

  • 1Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. dr.nguyenngocminh@gmail.com.

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|September 14, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Peer-led interventions effectively reduce childhood obesity, showing a significant decrease in Body Mass Index (BMI). These programs, particularly those focusing on physical activity, offer a promising approach for obesity prevention in young people.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern.
  • Peer-led interventions are common in child health promotion but their impact on obesity is unclear.
  • Existing research lacks a comprehensive review of peer-led interventions for childhood obesity.

Approach:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 moderate-to-high quality studies.
  • Included studies utilized peer-led behavior change communication with a minimum 4-week duration.
  • Analyzed adiposity outcomes including Body Mass Index (BMI), BMI z-score, and BMI percentile.

Key Points:

  • Meta-analysis of 9 studies (2506 children) revealed a significant mean difference in BMI of -0.15 kg/m² (p=0.01).
  • Low heterogeneity (I²=28%) suggests consistent results across studies.
  • Interventions focused on physical activity alone or with longer duration showed greater effects.

Conclusions:

  • Moderately strong evidence supports the effectiveness of peer-led interventions for childhood and adolescent obesity prevention.
  • Results indicate a beneficial effect on adiposity outcomes.
  • Findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number of studies and potential reporting bias.

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