A recent systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the available literature on the efficacy of layperson-led versus professional-led behavioral interventions attempting to promote weight loss in children.1 The assessment included 78 randomized clinical trials of 5780 participants whom were followed for 12 to 104 weeks. Their conclusions:
“This systematic review and meta-analysis found that professional-led weight loss interventions were associated with short-term but not sustained weight reduction among children and adolescents with overweight or obesity, and the evidence for layperson-led approaches was insufficient to draw firm conclusions.”
Simply put, all interventions fail in the long-term, and even the short-term losses were minimal. Combine these findings with the following:
- 90% of children who are obese at 3 years of age are overweight or obese in adolescence2
- 50% of obese adolescents were overweight or obese from age 5 and on3
- Childhood engagement by parental figures before obesity starts is the best strategy4
Reacting to Obesity is a Flawed Strategy
In other words, we are setting our children and society up for health failure at a young age. These results scream of the importance of avoiding obesity, much like most medical issues, instead of treating it, especially in our children. Clearly, there is a strong need for us to focus on our health, spend considerable time nurturing it, live an Intentional Lifestyle, emphasize quality, follow good form, Ikigai, and Arete, health-cost average, and, as a result, serve as positive examples for our children.
This all does not, of course, mean we don’t try our best to “treat” obesity – and we are – but rather that our effort is better spent at proactively avoiding it instead of reacting to it. However, until we take major proactive steps towards improving our health instead of treating our disease, continued failure will be the norm.
References:
- McGavock, J. et al. Layperson-Led vs Professional-Led Behavioral Interventions for Weight Loss in Pediatric Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw. open 3, e2010364 (2020).
- Geserick, M. et al. Acceleration of BMI in early childhood and risk of sustained obesity. N. Engl. J. Med. 379, 1303–1312 (2018).
- Baur, L. A. & Garnett, S. P. Early childhood — a critical period for obesity prevention. Nature Reviews Endocrinology 15, 5–6 (2018).
- Ward, D. S. et al. Strength of obesity prevention interventions in early care and education settings: A systematic review. Prev. Med. (Baltim). 95, S37–S52 (2017).
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