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ABSTRACT: To date, most interventions aimed at preventing obesity have underemphasized the application of systematic intervention development, implementation and evaluation. The present review provides a thorough insight in factors promoting implementation and/or effectiveness in interventions aimed at preventing overweight/obesity among adults. A total of 46 studies evaluating interventions aimed at preventing obesity were reviewed, followed by both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The Intervention Mapping protocol and the Environmental Research framework for weight Gain prevention (EnRG) were applied to analyse and classify the included studies. The interventions were categorized by setting (workplace, community, health care) and target group (ethnic minorities, pregnant women, [pre]menopausal women, smokers, people with intellectual disabilities). Generally, interventions were found to have potential in changing energy balance-related behaviours and anthropometric outcomes. Effect sizes for changes in body mass index ranged between -0.09 and 0.45. When the programme goal specifically aimed at weight management, the intervention was found to be more successful than interventions with programme goals that were aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease or improving general health status. Although a considerable part of studies included motivational interventions, only some actually assessed the effects on potential cognitive mediators. A general lack of reporting underlying theoretical models for behaviour change was observed as well as the inclusion of linkage groups and strategies to promote empowerment.
Obesity Reviews 07/2009; 11(5):371-9. · 7.04 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The objective of this systematic review of observational studies was to gain insight into potential determinants of various types and intensities of physical activity among adult men and women. Studies were retrieved from Medline, PsycInfo, Embase and Social scisearch. The ANGELO framework was used to classify environmental factors. In total, 47 publications were identified. Social support and having a companion for physical activity were found to be convincingly associated with different types of physical activity [(neighbourhood) walking, bicycling, vigorous physical activity/sports, active commuting, leisure-time physical activity in general, sedentary lifestyle, moderately intense physical activity and a combination of moderately intense and vigorous activity]. Availability of physical activity equipment was convincingly associated with vigorous physical activity/sports and connectivity of trails with active commuting. Other possible, but less consistent correlates of physical activity were availability, accessibility and convenience of recreational facilities. No evidence was found for differences between men and women. In conclusion, supportive evidence was found for only very few presumed environmental determinants. However, most studies used cross-sectional designs and non-validated measures of environments and/or behaviour. Therefore, no strong conclusions can be drawn and more research of better quality is clearly needed.
Obesity Reviews 10/2007; 8(5):425-40. · 7.04 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Obesogenic environments are thought to underlie the increased obesity prevalence observed in youth during the past decades. Understanding the environmental factors that are associated with physical activity (PA) in youth is needed to better inform the development of effective intervention strategies attempting to halt the obesity epidemic. We conducted a systematic semi-quantitative review of 150 studies on environmental correlates of youth PA published in the past 25 years. The ANalysis Grid for Environments Linked to Obesity (ANGELO) framework was used to classify the environmental correlates studied. Most studies retrieved used cross-sectional designs and subjective measures of environmental factors and PA. Variables of the home and school environments were especially associated with children's PA. Most consistent positive correlates of PA were father's PA, time spent outdoors and school PA-related policies (in children), and support from significant others, mother's education level, family income, and non-vocational school attendance (in adolescents). Low crime incidence (in adolescents) was characteristic of the neighbourhood environment associated with higher PA. Convincing evidence of an important role for many other environmental factors was, however, not found. Further research should aim at longitudinal and intervention studies, and use more objective measures of PA and its potential (environmental) determinants.
Obesity Reviews 04/2007; 8(2):129-54. · 7.04 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Unwarranted underestimation and overestimation of personal weight status may prevent weight maintenance behaviour. The present study reports on correlates of under- and overestimation of personal weight status and the association with weight maintenance intentions and self-reported action.
Comparison of three cross-sectional surveys, representing different population groups.
Survey 1: 1694 adolescents 13-19 years of age; survey 2: 979 nonobese adults 25-35 years of age; survey 3: 617 adults 21-62 years of age.
Self-administered written questionnaires (surveys 1 and 3) and telephone-administered questionnaires (survey 2); self-reported BMI, self-rated weight status, intentions and self-reported actions to avoid weight gain or to lose weight, sex, age, education and ethnic background. Respondents were classified as people who are realistic about personal body weight status or people who under- and overestimate their body weight status, based on BMI and self-rated weight status.
Most respondents in the three survey populations were realistic about their weight status. Overestimation of weight status was consistently more likely among women, whereas underestimation was more likely among men, older respondents and respondents from ethnic minorities. Self-rated weight status was a stronger correlate of intentions and self-report actions to avoid weight gain than weight status based on Body Mass Index.
Relevant proportions of the study populations underestimated or overestimated their bodyweight status. Overestimation of personal weight status may lead to unwarranted weight maintenance actions, whereas underestimation may result in lack of motivation to avoid further weight gain.
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 09/2006; 19(4):253-62. · 1.74 Impact Factor
