Changes in the Health-Related Quality of Life and Weight Status of Children with Overweight or Obesity Aged 7 to 13 Years after Participating in a 10-Week Lifestyle Intervention

Background: The aim of the study was to assess changes in the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and weight status of children with overweight and obesity after participating in a 10-week family-based combined lifestyle group intervention in their community. Methods: In total, 340 children with overweight or obesity aged between 7 and 13 years, as well as one of their primary caregivers, took part in this intervention, in a real-world setting. The intervention comprised 20 group sessions for a 10-week period, and focused on improving knowledge, attitudes, social support, and self-efficacy in regard to healthy lifestyles. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL) and Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Kids (IWQOL-KIDS) questionnaires were used to determine generic and weight-specific HRQOL. Changes in HRQOL and BMI (standard deviation [SDS] of BMI, objectively measured) were tested using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney U test, and paired t-test. Results: Generic quality of life (Z = -3.58, r = -0.25), weight-specific quality of life (Z = -4.83, r = -0.34), and SDS-BMI (d = 0.21) were all significantly improved after participating in the 10-week intervention. The mean attendance rate was 73.74%. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that participation in the intervention LEFF for children with overweight and obesity was associated with improved generic and weight-specific HRQOL and SDS-BMI

A system dynamics and participatory action research approach to promote healthy living and a healthy weight among 10–14-year-old adolescents in Amsterdam: The LIKE programme

This paper describes the design of the LIKE programme, which aims to tackle the complex problem of childhood overweight and obesity in 10–14-year-old adolescents using a systems dynamics and participatory approach. The LIKE programme focuses on the transition period from 10-years-old to teenager and was implemented in collaboration with the Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme (AHWP) in Amsterdam-East, the Netherlands. The aim is to develop, implement and evaluate an integrated action programme at the levels of family, school, neighbourhood, health care and city. Following the principles of Participatory Action Research (PAR), we worked with our population and societal stakeholders as co-creators. Applying a system lens, we first obtained a dynamic picture of the pre-existing systems that shape adolescents’ behaviour relating to diet, physical activity, sleep an

A System Dynamics and Participatory Action Research Approach to Promote Healthy Living and a Healthy Weight among 10-14-Year-Old Adolescents in Amsterdam:The LIKE Programme

This paper describes the design of the LIKE programme, which aims to tackle the complex problem of childhood overweight and obesity in 10–14-year-old adolescents using a systems dynamics and participatory approach. The LIKE programme focuses on the transition period from 10-years-old to teenager and was implemented in collaboration with the Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme (AHWP) in Amsterdam-East, the Netherlands. The aim is to develop, implement and evaluate an integrated action programme at the levels of family, school, neighbourhood, health care and city. Following the principles of Participatory Action Research (PAR), we worked with our population and societal stakeholders as co-creators. Applying a system lens, we first obtained a dynamic picture of the pre-existing systems that shape adolescents’ behaviour relating to diet, physical activity, sleep and screen use. The subsequent action programme development was dynamic and adaptive, including quick actions focusing on system elements (quick evaluating, adapting and possibly catalysing further action) and more long-term actions focusing on system goals and/or paradigm change. The programme is supported by a developmental systems evaluation and the Intervention Level Framework, supplemented with routinely collected data on weight status and health behaviour change over a period of five years. In the coming years, we will report how this approach has worked to provide a robust understanding of the programme's effectiveness within a complex dynamic system. In the meantime, we hope our study design serves as a source of inspiration for other public health intervention studies in complex systems