Do the effects of interventions aimed at the prevention of childhood obesity reduce inequities?
A re-analysis of randomized trial data from two Cochrane reviews, published on the World Obesity Day - 4 March 2025.
A core principle of any public health guidance is to minimize health inequalities. The aim of this study here and published on the World Obesity Day - 4 March 2025, was to collect primary trial results (including results not previously reported) to examine whether effects of interventions vary according to these PROGRESS factors (Place, Race/ethnicity, Occupation, Gender/sex, Religion, Education, Socio-economic status, and Social capital). Data from 81 studies were included, with the UNESCO Chair team contributing data from the randomized KaziBantu study from 2019 ( project website), which was collected directly from study participants as aggregated data by intervention and by subgroup and combined in meta-analyses.
The study team found no substantial impact of the interventions on PROGRESS subgroups, although in the younger age group (5–11 years), the effect of interventions (n = 45) on both BMI and standardized BMI was greater in boys. Those responsible for public health can be confident in promoting the types of interventions included in this meta-analysis to prevent obesity in children and young people (5–18 years), knowing there is no evidence that these types of interventions increase inequities.
Further information:
Palmer JC, Davies AL, Spiga F, Heitmann BL, Jago R, Summerbell CD, Higgins JPT, et al. Do the effects of interventions aimed at the prevention of childhood obesity reduce inequities? A re-analysis of randomized trial data from two Cochrane reviews. eClinicalMedicine. 2025;81:103130; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103130