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Home Visitation as an Intervention Opportunity to Prevent Childhood Obesity Within the First 2000 Days: A Scoping
Jamie Zeldman1, Danielle E Jake-Schoffman1, Matthew J Gurka2
1Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Insights
Home visitation programs can prevent childhood obesity in young children (ages 0-5). This review identified interventions, outcomes, and the use of technology and nonmaternal caregivers in early obesity prevention.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Home visitation programs are crucial for early intervention during the first 2000 days of life (0-5 years).
- This period is a critical window for preventing childhood obesity.
- Identifying effective interventions is key to public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review of early childhood obesity prevention interventions within home visitation.
- To summarize the outcomes assessed in these interventions.
- To examine the inclusion of nonmaternal caregivers and technology.
Main Methods:
- Searched 3 databases (PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL) from 1980-2023.
- Included experimental/quasiexperimental studies on obesity prevention in children aged 5 or younger using home visitation.
- Assessed study quality using the AND Quality Criteria Checklist.
Main Results:
- 21 studies met inclusion criteria, reporting on obesogenic behavioral outcomes.
- Intervention durations varied (4 months to 3 years) with diverse visit frequencies.
- Nine studies included nonmaternal caregivers, and 12 incorporated technology.
Conclusions:
- Various early childhood obesity prevention interventions exist within home visitation.
- Further research is needed on intervention effectiveness, duration, caregiver involvement, and technology.
- Understanding these factors can optimize childhood obesity prevention strategies.
Background:
Home visitation programs are uniquely positioned to reach young children during the first 2000 days of life (ages 0 to 5 years), a critical time period to prevent childhood obesity.
Objective:
This scoping review aimed to identify early childhood obesity prevention interventions implemented within home visitation during the first 2000 days of life, summarize outcomes assessed, and examine if and how nonmaternal caregivers and technology were included.
Methods:
Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews, 3 databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) were searched from January 1980 to June 2023 for obesity prevention interventions that utilized home visitation as a treatment modality, targeted children aged 5 years or younger, reported on child weight outcomes, were experimental or quasiexperimental designs with a control or comparison arm, and had full-text available in English. The quality and risk of bias of included studies were rated using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Quality Criteria Checklist for Primary Research.
Results:
Of the 871 identified articles, 21 met inclusion criteria, and all reported at least 1 obesogenic behavioral outcome in the intervention group compared with the control group. Intervention duration ranged from 4 months to 3 years, and frequency of home visits varied from weekly, biweekly, monthly, or a designated number of home visits within a defined time frame. Three interventions partnered with an established home visiting program, but home visits in all interventions were conducted by either professional or paraprofessional individuals. Nine of the 21 studies targeted other caregivers in addition to the mother, and 12 of 21 incorporated a form of technology.
Conclusions:
Several different early childhood obesity prevention interventions have been implemented within home visitation during the first 2000 days of life. Future research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of these interventions on weight- and behavior-related outcomes, as well as explore the influences of the interventionist type, program duration, inclusion of nonmaternal caregivers, and use of technology on childhood obesity-related outcomes.
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