A new study finds that empowering communities with systems-based tools to fight childhood obesity not only reduced weight trends but also improved quality of life in boys—suggesting a resilient, community-first approach to lasting health changes. Study: Three-year behavioural, health-related quality of life, and body mass index outcomes from the RESPOND randomized trial . Image Credit: chanchai plongern / Shutterstock The RESPOND randomized trial is a community-based systems intervention to prevent childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases.
Scientists at Deakin University recently evaluated the trial's three-year behavioral, health-related quality of life, and body mass index outcomes. The study is published in the journal Public Health . Background Childhood obesity is a serious public health concern as it often persists into adulthood and increases the risk of several non-communicable diseases.
The complex and multifactorial nature of childhood obesity risk factors may lead to resistance to intervention. This complexity includes multiple factors that can influence a child’s food consumption, including early-life exposure to a variety of foods, food availability at home and within the community, and socioeconomic status. Existing evidence indicates that multi-level interventions that apply multiple strategies across communities can significantly reduce children's body weight.
Systems science and systems thinking are methods of understanding the relationships and co.