Problem Statement
The urgency of the obesity problem lies in the fact that, according to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people worldwide are overweight (Samara et al., 2019). The problem of obesity is relevant for countries in which most of the population is constantly starving, and in industrialized countries, it has long been a serious aspect of public health. In Western Europe, 10-20% of men and 20-25% of women are overweight or obese, and in some Eastern European countries, the proportion of people with obesity is 35%. Obesity interacts with various organs and systems, including the central nervous system, which entails negative consequences for the overall health of the whole organism (Samara et al., 2019). Therefore, the clinical problem of obesity and health promotion is really relevant.
The PICOT Question
The present study uses the following Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Time (PICOT) question: What are the most effective methods for improving obesity prevention behavior among adult obese populations compared to children with obesity? The comparison is to be conducted between the adult and children populations suffering from obesity. The estimated outcome is patients’ behavior which focuses on healthy activities and regaining the average weight.
Summary of Systematic Reviews
Three research articles using mixed and systematic review methods were utilized in this study. The work by Gómez-del-RÃo et al. (2020) evaluated the suitability of a self-tracking activity recommendation model for obese children aged between 6 and 12 years, implementing the mixed-method methodology. A review article by Samara et al. (2019) focuses on obesity prevention programs for overweight adults, summarizing the primary strategies used in the Arab Gulf states. The authors examined the policies, healthcare initiatives, health promotion campaign development, and the availability of qualified personnel in the region.
Finally, another review article by Lavi et al. (2018) discusses the causes of obesity and suitable prevention and treatment approaches and evaluates a large scope of academic literature on the topic.
Key Findings
The major conclusions presented by Gómez-del-RÃo et al. (2020) state that the PROVITAO user experience model, a quantified-self model, the activity recommender system, and a gamified program can be successfully used to promote obese prevention behavior among children. After that, the main finding of the Samara et al. (2019) study was the need to increase the number of healthcare professionals and advance the current infrastructure, as these elements appear to be essential to the successful promotion of obesity prevention behavior. Lastly, Lavi et al. (2018) demonstrated that it is essential to consider community, social, sedentary, and genetic factors when encouraging healthy behavior among obese adults.
Limitations of studies reviewed
The most notable limitation of the research by Gómez-del-RÃo et al. (2020) is the use of a restricted sample, which decreases the possibility of generalization.
Regarding the works by Samara et al. (2019) and Lavi et al. (2018), significant disadvantages are the focus on the Arab Gulf States and the absence of statistical calculations, respectively.
Recommendations for Practice
Considering the discussed findings, clinicians should focus on integrating the mentioned promotional methods into obesity prevention programs to improve positive outcomes for children and adult patients. From a policy perspective, additional healthcare initiatives should be implemented to lower children and adult obesity levels.
References
Gómez-del-RÃo, N., González-González, C. S., Toledo-Delgado, P. A., Muñoz-Cruz, V., & GarcÃa-Peñalvo, F. (2020). Health promotion for childhood obesity: An approach based on self-tracking of data. Sensors, 20(3), 1-28.
Lavie, C. J., Laddu, D., Arena, R., Ortega, F. B., Alpert, M. A., & Kushner, R. F. (2018). Healthy weight and obesity prevention: JACC health promotion series. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 72(13), 1506-1531.
Samara, A., Andersen, P. T., & Aro, A. R. (2019). Health promotion and obesity in the Arab gulf states: Challenges and good practices. Journal of Obesity, 18(12), 785-794.