Preventative action for childhood obesity
Increasing rates of childhood obesity worldwide call for urgent attention. Preventative measures and effective policies need to be applied at early developmental stages, given the potential for severe physical and mental health effects of obesity. Setting a good basis for healthy eating behaviours early on promises a better chance of long-term health in adulthood. With the help of EU funding, the TOYBOX project identified key aspects contributing to early childhood obesity. Partners rolled out and evaluated behavioural models and educational strategies that can prevent childhood onset of obesity. This was achieved based on insights obtained at a local level and through the implementation of a school-based, family-involved intervention programme promoting healthy food, fun and active play in preschool settings. Efforts focused on deepening our understanding and knowledge of behaviours and their determinants in the progression to early childhood obesity. To inform and support development of the intervention material, researchers conducted systematic and narrative reviews, secondary analyses, focus group research and societal assessments. These activities served as a guide for evaluations related to process, impact, outcome and cost effectiveness. Partners prepared a series of reports based on initial research efforts and findings. These offer information on energy balance-related behaviours of young children in relation to early childhood overweight and obesity, high-risk population groups in the context of these behaviours, and country-specific assessments of the most important of these behaviours. In addition, TOYBOX has evaluated contextual factors that could affect implementation of interventions in the kindergarten setting, and examined regulations, policies and legislations on local, regional and national levels for the targeted European countries. Recent and ongoing health promotion activities at pre-primary school settings in Europe were researched and the contextual factors affecting their success were identified. The project's all-encompassing approach to developing effective interventions and health-promoting activities for this youthful population has the potential to drive down obesity rates and ward off negative health impacts for increased longevity.
Keywords
Childhood obesity, early childhood, behavioural models, educational strategies, school-based interventions