As a follow-up to my earlier post, here is an EPPI systematic map of reviews of research into preventing obesity, with a specific focus on childhood obesity. Again, however the emphasis appears to be on information rather than on structural changes. I know this is inevitable to a large degree: it's much easier to alter and experiment with information than it is to change the shape of a city.
We located 54 reviews of obesity-relevant research with a social and environmental focus, of which 32 were systematic reviews. Our results reflect the rapid recent growth in interest in this topic. Over half the reviews were published in 2004 or later.
Most of the reviews covered the population as a whole and did not have a specific focus on children or young people. The reviews covered a wide range of intervention types and settings. Some were focused on specific intervention strategies such as mass media campaigns, financial instruments or point-of-sale information. Some investigated multi-component interventions which integrated social and environmental change with education and strategies for individual behaviour change, in either school or community settings. A number of reviews included studies covering all of these areas.
Many reviews focused on studies which evaluated interventions which aimed to alter the social values attached to food and exercise, using, for example, education or social marketing techniques. We found few reviews which included studies evaluating large-scale structural changes to the physical environment or the availability or cost of food, exercise or sport.
