BMC Obesity

BACKGROUND: One third of U.S. children and two thirds of adults are overweight or obese. Interventions to prevent obesity and thus avert threats to public health are needed. This paper describes the design and methods of the Healthy Kids & Families study, which tested the effect of a parent-focused community health worker (CHW)-delivered lifestyle intervention to prevent childhood obesity. METHODS: Participants were English or Spanish-speaking parent-child dyads ( n  = 247) from nine elementary schools (grades K-6) located in racial/ethnically diverse low-income communities in Worcester, Massachusetts...

BACKGROUND: In attempting to gain understanding of the family food environment (FFE), as a central context for the development of obesity and obesogenic eating behaviours during early childhood, attention has largely focused on the relationships of individual variables. This fails to capture the complex combinations of variables children are exposed to. To more authentically reflect the impact of the FFE on the development of obesity and obesogenic eating behaviours during early childhood, this study aims to derive composites of FFE variables using factor analysis...

BACKGROUND: Numerous diets, apps and websites help guide and monitor dietary behaviour with the goal of losing weight, yet dieting success is highly dependent on personal preferences and circumstances. To enable a more quantitative approach to dieting, we developed an integrated platform that allows tracking of life-style information alongside molecular biofeedback measurements (lactate and insulin). METHODS: To facilitate weight loss, participants (≥18 years) omitted one main meal from the usual three-meal routine...

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity is a persistent public health issue in the US. Risk for obesity and obesity-related morbidity throughout the life course begins in utero. Native Americans suffer the greatest disparities in the US in childhood overweight and obesity status of any racial or ethnic group. Existing early childhood home-visiting interventions provide an opportunity for addressing obesity during the first 1000 days. However, to date, no evidence-based model has been specifically designed to comprehensively target early childhood obesity prevention...

BACKGROUND: Children with overweight or obesity are at greatly increased risk of experiencing obesity in adulthood but for reasons generally unknown some attain a healthier adult weight. This qualitative study investigated individual, social and environmental factors that might explain diverging body mass index (BMI) trajectories. This knowledge could underpin interventions to promote healthy weight. METHODS: This 2016 study included participants from three adult follow-ups of children who (when 7-15 years) participated in the 1985 Australian Schools Health and Fitness Survey and provided BMI data at each time point...

Background: Shortly after bariatric surgery, insulin sensitivity improves and circulating Fetuin-A (FetA) declines. Elevated FetA may decrease insulin sensitivity by inhibiting insulin receptor autophosphorylation. FetA also mediates inflammation through toll-like receptor 4 and influences monocyte migration and macrophage polarization in the adipocyte. The role of dietary changes on FetA is unclear. It is also unknown whether changes in FetA are associated with adipocyte size, an indicator of insulin sensitivity...

Background: There is limited data on risk factors associated with childhood overweight and obesity in Ghanaian school children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity and associated risk factors in Ghanaian school children. Methods: Data for this study were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 543 children aged 8 and 11 years, attending private and public primary schools in the Adentan Municipality of Greater Accra Region, Ghana...

BACKGROUND: Neck circumference (NC) is a novel simple and stable body measurement, a growing body of evidence indicates its validity to diagnose obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Because the cutoff value of NC is gender and ethnic-specific; we conducted the current study to explore the performance of NC to predict general obesity, central obesity, and MetS among adult Saudis of both genders. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study which included 3063 adult Saudis (1156 males and 1907 females) with a mean age of 38...

BACKGROUND: We conducted secondary data analyses to examine the associations between sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep disturbance and ≥ 5% of weight loss in low-income overweight or obese postpartum women enrolled in a community-based lifestyle behavior intervention study aimed at prevention of weight gain. METHODS: Participants were recruited from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Michigan. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep duration, sleep quality, and sleep disturbance...

Background: Parent's and child's body mass index (BMI) are strongly associated, but their relationship varies by child's sex and age. Parental BMI reflects, among other factors, parents' behaviors and home environment, which influence their child's behaviors and weight. This study examined the indirect effect of parent's BMI on child's BMI via child health behaviors, conditional on child's sex and age. Methods: Data from 2039 children and 1737 parents from eight cities of the U...

BACKGROUND: Individuals' self-perceptions of weight often differ from objective measurements of body fat. This study aimed to 1) measure agreement between self-perceptions of weight and objective measurement of body fat by bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) among Peruvian adults; and 2) quantify the association between body fat and a) baseline self-perceptions of weight and b) whether a participant underestimated their weight status. METHODS: Longitudinal data from the CRONICAS Cohort Study of 3181 Peruvian adults aged 35-years and older were used...

Background: Home-based lifestyle behaviour interventions show promise for treating and preventing childhood obesity. According to family theories, engaging the entire family unit, including parents, to change their family behaviour and dynamics may be necessary to prevent the development of childhood obesity. However, little is known about how these interventions, which may change the family dynamics and weight-related behaviours of parents, affect weight outcomes in parents. Our objective was to examine the effect of a pilot home-based childhood obesity prevention intervention on measures of anthropometrics and body composition in Canadian parents...

Background: In Ethiopia, limited information is available about the epidemiology of over-nutrition. This study assessed the prevalence of, and factors associated with overweight and obesity among adults in Hawassa city, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in August 2015 in the city. A total of 531 adults 18-64 years of age were selected using multistage sampling approach. Interviewer administered qualitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the consumption pattern of twelve food groups...

Background: An understanding of capacity for physical activity in obese populations should help guide interventions to promote physical activity. Fear of falling is a phenomenon reported in the elderly, which is associated with reduced mobility and lower physical activity levels. However, although falls are reportedly common in obese adults, fear of falling and its relationship with activity has not been investigated in younger obese populations. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, fear of falling was measured in 63 women aged 18 to 49 years, with mean BMI 42...

Background: New Zealand Pacific and Māori populations measure disproportionately high on the international body mass index (BMI). Information is needed on what behavioural weight loss goals to recommend and how to attract and retain them in interventions. Our team weight loss competition trial for participants with a BMI ≥30 used cash prizes to incentivise completion of nine daily behaviour goals. This paper evaluates the theoretical merit of and adherence to these goals. Methods: A qualitative component evaluation methodology was used...

Background: To describe the characteristics of participants who registered for multiple annual offerings of a community-based weight loss program called The Challenge, and to determine participant characteristics associated with weight change over multiple offerings of The Challenge occurring during the years 2010-2016. Methods: Multivariable linear mixed effects analyses were conducted to describe percent weight change within and between offerings of The Challenge by participant characteristics...

Background: Despite evidence that biological and genetic factors contribute strongly to obesity, many healthcare providers still attribute obesity more to controllable behavioral issues rather than factors outside a person's control. We evaluated whether medical school students' beliefs about obesity correlate with ability to effectively counsel patients with obesity. Methods: Clerkship-year medical students at NYU School of Medicine completed an Objective Structured Clinical Experience (OSCE) that tests ability to effectively counsel standardized actor-patients with obesity...

Background: Goals for Eating and Moving (GEM) is a technology-assisted health coaching intervention to improve weight management in primary care at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that we designed through prior rigorous formative studies. GEM is integrated within the patient-centered medical home and utilizes student health coach volunteers to counsel patients and encourage participation in VHA's intensive weight management program, MOVE!. The primary aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of GEM when compared to Enhanced Usual Care (EUC)...

Background: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have among the highest prevalence of adult obesity and type 2 diabetes in the world. This study aimed to estimate the recent prevalence of obesity among school-age children and adolescents in the GCC States. Methods: The literature search for obesity prevalence data was carried out in July 2017 in Google Scholar, Physical education index, Medline, SCOPUS, WHO, 2007-2017, and updated in November 2018.In addition, 22 experts from the GCC were contacted to check the search results, and to suggest studies or grey literature which had been missed...

Background: The rate of overweight and obesity in Australia is among the highest in the world. Yet Australia lags other countries in developing comprehensive educative or regulatory responses to address sugary drink consumption, a key modifiable risk factor that contributes substantial excess sugar to the diet. Measurement of sugary drink consumption is typically sporadic and nutrition focussed and there is limited knowledge of community perceptions and awareness of the health risks associated with excess sugary drink consumption...