Dataset Information

Global Evolution of Obesity Research in Children and Youths: Setting Priorities for Interventions and Policies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Childhood obesity has become a major global epidemic that causes substantial social and health burdens worldwide. The effectiveness of childhood obesity control and prevention depends largely on understanding the issue, including its current development and associated factors in a contextualized perspective.

Objectives

Our study aimed to gauge this kind of understanding.

Methods

We systematically searched the Web of Science database for studies concerning child obesity published up to 2017 and analyzed the volume of publications, growth rates, impact scores, collaborations, authors, affiliations, and journals. A total of 57,444 research papers were included.

Results

The three subject categories with the highest number of papers (over 3,000) were (1) nutrition and dietetics, (2) pediatrics, and (3) public, environmental, and occupational health. We found a dramatic increase in the amount of scientific literature on childhood obesity in the past one or two decades, led by scholars from the USA - ranking at the top regarding the total number of papers (23,965 papers; 30.8%) and total number of citations (859,793 citations) - and multiple Western countries where the obesity epidemic is prevalent.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the need for improving international and local research capacities and collaboration to accelerate knowledge production and translation into contextualized and effective childhood obesity prevention.

SUBMITTER: Tran BX

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6547288 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Global Evolution of Obesity Research in Children and Youths: Setting Priorities for Interventions and Policies.

Tran Bach Xuan BX Dang Kim Anh KA Le Huong Thi HT Ha Giang Hai GH Nguyen Long Hoang LH Nguyen Tu Huu TH Tran Tung Hoang TH Latkin Carl A CA Ho Cyrus S H CSH Ho Roger C M RCM

Obesity facts 20190313 2

<h4>Background</h4>Childhood obesity has become a major global epidemic that causes substantial social and health burdens worldwide. The effectiveness of childhood obesity control and prevention depends largely on understanding the issue, including its current development and associated factors in a contextualized perspective.<h4>Objectives</h4>Our study aimed to gauge this kind of understanding.<h4>Methods</h4>We systematically searched the Web of Science database for studies concerning child o ...[more]

PMID: 30865948

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Project description:BackgroundThe private health sector is an important source of sick child care, yet evidence gaps persist in best practices for integrated management of private sector child health services. Further, there is no prioritized research agenda to address these gaps. We used a Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) process to identify priority research questions in response to these evidence gaps. CHNRI is a consultative approach that entails prioritizing research questions by evaluating them against standardized criteria.MethodsWe engaged geographically and occupationally diverse experts in the private health sector and child health. Eighty-nine experts agreed to participate and provided 150 priority research questions. We consolidated submitted questions to reduce duplication into a final list of 50. We asked participants to complete an online survey to rank each question against 11 pre-determined criteria in four categories: (i) answerability, (ii) research feasibility, (iii) sustainability/equity, and (iv) importance/potential impact. Statistical data analysis was conducted in SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc, Cary NC, USA). We weighted all 11 evaluation criteria equally to calculate the research priority score and average expert agreement for each question. We disaggregated results by location in high-income vs low- and middle-income countries.ResultsForty-nine participants (55.1%) completed the online survey, including 33 high-income and 16 low- and middle-income country respondents. The top, prioritized research question asks whether accreditation or regulation of private clinical and non-clinical sources of care would improve integrated management of childhood illness services. Four of the top ten research priorities were related to adherence to case management protocols. Other top research priorities were related to training and supportive supervision, digital health, and infant and newborn care. Research priorities among high-income and low- and middle-income country respondents were highly correlated.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first systematic exercise conducted to define research priorities for the management of childhood illness in the private sector. The research priorities put forth in this CHNRI exercise aim to stimulate interest from policy makers, program managers, researchers, and donors to respond to and help close evidence gaps hindering the acceleration of reductions in child mortality through private sector approaches.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Armed conflict, natural disaster, and forced displacement affect millions of children each year. Such humanitarian crises increase the risk of family separation, erode existing support networks, and often result in economic loss, increasing children's vulnerability to violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse. Research is needed to understand these risks and vulnerabilities and guide donor investment towards the most effective interventions for improving the well-being of children in humanitarian contexts. METHODS:The Assessment, Measurement & Evidence (AME) Working Group of the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (ACPHA) identified experts to participate in a research priority setting exercise adapted from the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI). Experts individually identified key areas for research investment which were subsequently ranked by participants using a Likert scale. Research Priority Scores (RPS) and Average Expert Agreement (AEA) were calculated for each identified research topic, the top fifteen of which are presented within this paper. RESULTS:Intervention research, which aims to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of standard child protection activities in humanitarian settings, ranked highly. Child labor was a key area of sector research with two of the top ten priorities examining the practice. Respondents also prioritized research efforts to understand how best to bridge humanitarian and development efforts for child protection as well as identifying most effective way to build the capacity of local systems in order to sustain child protection gains after a crisis. CONCLUSIONS:Rigorous, scientific research that assesses the scope of child protection risks, examines the effectiveness of interventions to improve child well-being, and translates evidence to practice is critical. Findings from this research priority setting exercise offer guidance for a global research agenda on child protection in humanitarian settings, encouraging cooperation among donors, implementers, and academics to pursue a coordinated approach to evidence generation.

Project description:AimThis paper aims to identify health research priorities that could improve the rate of progress in reducing global neonatal mortality from preterm birth and low birth weight (PB/LBW), as set out in the UN's Millennium Development Goal 4.MethodsWe applied the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) methodology for setting priorities in health research investments. In the process coordinated by the World Health Organization in 2007-2008, 21 researchers with interest in child, maternal and newborn health suggested 82 research ideas that spanned across the broad spectrum of epidemiological research, health policy and systems research, improvement of existing interventions and development of new interventions. The 82 research questions were then assessed for answerability, effectiveness, deliverability, maximum potential for mortality reduction and the effect on equity using the CHNRI method.ResultsThe top 10 identified research priorities were dominated by health systems and policy research questions (eg, identification of LBW infants born at home within 24-48 hours of birth for additional care; approaches to improve quality of care of LBW infants in health facilities; identification of barriers to optimal home care practices including care seeking; and approaches to increase the use of antenatal corticosteriods in preterm labor and to improve access to hospital care for LBW infants). These were followed by priorities for improvement of the existing interventions (eg, early initiation of breastfeeding, including feeding mode and techniques for those unable to suckle directly from the breast; improved cord care, such as chlorhexidine application; and alternative methods to Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) to keep LBW infants warm in community settings). The highest-ranked epidemiological question suggested improving criteria for identifying LBW infants who need to be cared for in a hospital. Among the new interventions, the greatest support was shown for the development of new simple and effective interventions for providing thermal care to LBW infants, if KMC is not acceptable to the mother.ConclusionThe context for this exercise was set within the MDG4, requiring an urgent and rapid progress in mortality reduction from low birth weight, rather than identifying long-term strategic solutions of the greatest potential. In a short-term context, the health policy and systems research to improve access and coverage by the existing interventions, coupled with further research to improve effectiveness, deliverability and acceptance of existing interventions, and epidemiological research to address the key gaps in knowledge, were all highlighted as research priorities.

Dataset Information

Global Evolution of Obesity Research in Children and Youths: Setting Priorities for Interventions and Policies.

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Global Evolution of Obesity Research in Children and Youths: Setting Priorities for Interventions and Policies.

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