School-based obesity prevention programs in rural communities: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Obesity Prevention
• Rural Health Interventions

Background:

• Pediatric obesity is a global health concern, with rural children facing increased risks.
• Schools in rural communities are identified as key settings for implementing obesity prevention strategies.
• Existing literature on these programs requires examination to identify effective approaches and research gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and map evidence on school-based obesity prevention programs in rural settings.
• To identify the characteristics and outcomes of implemented programs.
• To pinpoint current gaps in the scientific literature.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases for studies from 1990 to 2020.
• Inclusion criteria focused on programs for children aged 5-18 in rural schools, targeting nutrition, physical activity, or both.
• Data from 72 selected studies were extracted and analyzed by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

• The majority of studies (72) were published between 2010-2019 and conducted in the United States.
• Most programs targeted elementary or middle school students and focused on combined nutrition and physical activity components.
• Weight-related, physical activity-specific, and nutrition-specific outcomes were commonly assessed.

Conclusions:

• Combined nutrition and physical activity interventions are the most prevalent in rural school-based obesity prevention.
• Program duration and intensity varied significantly.
• There is a need for more research with enhanced scientific rigor to evaluate specific outcomes of these programs.