[Intervention Review]
Lifestyle intervention for improving school achievement in overweight or obese children and adolescents
Anne Martin1, David H Saunders1, Susan D. Shenkin2, John Sproule1
1Moray House School of Education, Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences (SPEHS), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. 2School of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Contact address: Anne Martin, Moray House School of Education, Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences (SPEHS), University of Edinburgh, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AQ, UK. [email protected].
Editorial group: Cochrane Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group. Publication status and date: New, published in Issue 3, 2014.Review content assessed as up-to-date: 8 May 2013.
Citation: Martin A, Saunders DH, Shenkin SD, Sproule J. Lifestyle intervention for improving school achievement in over- weight or obese children and adolescents. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD009728. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009728.pub2.
Copyright © 2014 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ABSTRACT
Background
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence is high. Excessive body fat at a young age is likely to persist into adulthood and is associated with physical and psychosocial co-morbidities, as well as lower cognitive, school and later life achievement. Lifestyle changes, including reduced caloric intake, decreased sedentary behaviour and increased physical activity, are recommended for prevention and treatment of chil
d and adolescent obesity. Evidence suggests that lifestyle interventions can benefit cognitive function and school achievement in children of normal weight. Similar beneficial effects may be seen in overweight or obese children and adolescents.
Objectives
To assess whether lifestyle interventions (in the areas of diet, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and behavioural therapy) improve school achievement, cognitive function and future success in overweight or obese children and adolescents compared with standard care, waiting list control, no treatment or attention control.
Search methods
We searched the following databases in May 2013: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, ERIC, IBSS, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE, ISI Conference Proceedings Citation Index, SPORTDiscus, Database on Obesity and Sedentary Behaviour Studies, Database of Promoting Health Effectiveness Reviews (DoPHER) and Database of Health Promotion Research. In addition, we searched the Network Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), three trials registries and reference lists. We also contacted researchers in the field.
Selection criteria
We included (cluster) randomised and controlled clinical trials of lifestyle interventions for weight management in overweight or obese children three to 18 years of age. Studies in children with medical conditions known to affect weight status, school achievement and cognitive function were excluded.
Lifestyle intervention for improving school achievement in overweight or obese children and adolescents (Review)
Copyright © 2014 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.