Globally, childhood overweight and obesity are increasing, resulting in several comorbidities. While different interventions to manage childhood obesity exist, their effectiveness is still a subject of debate among scholars. Therefore, this systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of interventions for preventing and managing childhood obesity reported in the literature. The findings showed that community-based, school-based, family-focused, and technology-driven approaches have various positive outcomes. Community-based interventions showed significant decreases in Body Mass Index (BMI), especially in population groups with limited resources, whereas school-based programs effectively reduced both BMI and waist circumference among children with obesity. On the other hand, family-based interventions were shown to be effective in promoting long-term behavioral changes, resulting in sustained BMI reduction. However, the effectiveness of technology-based interventions varied, but their effectiveness was enhanced when paired with human engagement. The review’s findings underscored the need for culture-tailored interventions, citing disparities in the effectiveness of different interventions influenced by culture and ethnicity in addition to baseline weight status. Furthermore, to sustain the benefits of interventions, long-term follow-up and support were essential. The findings indicated that multi-component programs involving community, family, digital tools, and cultural context-relevant interventions are essential for long-term success in childhood obesity management.
Key words: Childhood obesity, obesity interventions, community-based programs, technology-driven interventions, systemic review.
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