Progress towards Achieving the Recommendations of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity: A Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Current Policies, Actions and Implementation Gaps in Thailand

Despite a significant commitment to tackling childhood overweight and obesity, questions remain about the progress the Thai Government has made in implementing childhood obesity prevention policies and actions. This study aimed to review and assess the implementation of the government’s policies and actions for childhood obesity prevention in Thailand compared with the recommendations of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity and to identify the implementation gaps. Policy data were collected from governmental and NGO websites and publications and via direct contact with government officials. Stakeholder meetings were held to seek further information and advice on implementation gaps and to give recommendations. The analysis of each policy was conducted against pre-determined criteria formulated from literature assessments and stakeholder consultations. The policies and actions that were implemented by the Government were consistent with 33 broad policy actions and 55 specific policy actions. Preconception and pregnancy care was the policy area that was most implemented. Six broad policy actions were assessed as ‘high’ performance, these were: sugar-sweetened beverage taxation, nutrient labeling, nutrition guidance for preconception and pregnancy care, the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, regulatory measures for supporting maternal breastfeeding, and regulations on the marketing of complementary foods and beverages. Policy coherence and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) were identified as major implementation gaps. Increasing the effectiveness of childhood obesity prevention in Thailand will require national immediate attention towards building infrastructure to enhance coherence among the policies and to put in place M&E mechanisms for each policy.

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National Policies and Intervention Programs on Childhood Obesity Prevention in China (P22-018-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz042.p22-018-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Youfa Wang ◽

Lu Ma ◽

Li Zhao ◽

Liwang Gao ◽

Hong Xue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Obesity Prevention ◽

School Children ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

The State ◽

Intervention Programs ◽

Nutrition Status ◽

State Council ◽

Childhood Obesity Prevention ◽

National Policies

Abstract Objectives This study examined:1) prevalence of overweight and obesity (ov/ob) in children aged 0–18 y in China, 2) national policies and intervention programs on childhood obesity in China since 1949, and 3) provided recommendations for future work. Methods Literature search and expert consultation were conducted to identify childhood obesity related national intervention programs and policies in China since 1949. We systematically searched: a) Baidu.com, the dominant search engine in China, b) official websites of national-level government sectors, c) Chinese databases: CNKI and Wanfang from 1949 to 2018, and d) google.com. 20 leading international (eg, from the US) and national (from China) experts on childhood obesity were surveyed in November-December 2018. Results In China prevalence of ov/ob increased from 5.8% in 1991 to 9.5% in 2011 in preschool children (2–6 y), and from 8.0% in 1985 to 27.9% in 2014 in school children (7–18 y). Development of national policies on childhood obesity prevention experienced 3 stages: 1) 1949–1994: Childhood ov/ob were low, related research and national surveys emerged; 2) 1995–2010: childhood ov/ob increased rapidly, related policies and intervention programs were gradually established; 3) 2011-: policies focused on improving nutrition status of children in poor areas, establishing monitoring systems, but effectiveness of these polices was not assessed. Nine major national intervention programs were identified. Institutions implementing the interventions mainly included the State Council and institutions directly under the State Council. The programs focused on preschool or school children and aimed to promote physical activity (eg, “The Happy 10 Minutes Program”) and healthy eating (eg, School Meal Program). No interventions targeted at improving environments. Effectiveness of the programs was not reported. Conclusions Childhood ov/ob has increased rapidly in China, with the fastest increase among major countries and has the largest number of ov/ob children in the world. Compared to many industrialized countries, national policies and interventions on childhood obesity in China are limited, more future efforts are needed and publishing the Chinese Obesity Blue Paper help fill a gap. Funding Sources United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

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Childhood obesity prevention: A significant decrease of overweight and obesity in the VIASANO programme after 2 years of intervention

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport ◽

10.1016/j.jsams.2012.11.805 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. S331

Author(s):

J. Borys ◽

N. Jacobs ◽

P. Harper ◽

M. Roillet ◽

H. Ruault du Plessis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Obesity Prevention ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Childhood Obesity Prevention

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Childhood Obesity: Prevention and Treatment (CRC Series in Modern Nutrition)

Journal of the American College of Nutrition ◽

10.1080/07315724.2002.10719206 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 128-128

Author(s):

Gregg W. Van Citters

Keyword(s):

Childhood Obesity ◽

Obesity Prevention ◽

Childhood Obesity Prevention ◽

Prevention And Treatment

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Barriers and enablers to caregivers' responsive feeding behaviour: A systematic review to inform childhood obesity prevention

Obesity Reviews ◽

10.1111/obr.13228 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah A. Redsell ◽

Vicki Slater ◽

Jennie Rose ◽

Ellinor K. Olander ◽

Karen Matvienko‐Sikar

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Obesity Prevention ◽

Feeding Behaviour ◽

Childhood Obesity Prevention ◽

Barriers And Enablers

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The Implementation of Childhood Obesity Related Policy Interventions in Malaysia—A Non Communicable Diseases Scorecard Project

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115950 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5950

Author(s):

Wilfred Kok Hoe Mok ◽

Noran Naqiah Hairi ◽

Caryn Mei Hsien Chan ◽

Feisul Idzwan Mustapha ◽

Thamil Arasu Saminathan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Current Status ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

Modified Delphi ◽

Policy Interventions ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

The Government

(1) Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children has increased tremendously in the ASEAN region, including Malaysia. In Malaysia, the National Strategic Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases (2015–2025) provides the overall framework for its response to the non-communicable diseases (NCD) epidemic. Preventing childhood obesity is one of the key strategies for early intervention to prevent NCDs. The objective of this research is to examine the current status of policy interventions in addressing childhood obesity in Malaysia. (2) Methods: A panel of 22 stakeholders and experts from Malaysia, representing the government, industry, academia and non-governmental organizations, were sampled using a modified Delphi technique. Data were collected using a modified NCD scorecard under four domains (governance, risk factors, surveillance and research and health systems response). A heat map was used to measure the success of the four realms of the NCD scorecard. For each domain of the NCD scorecard, the final score was grouped in quintiles. (3) Results: A total of 22 participants responded, comprising of eight (36.4%) males and 14 (63.4%) females. All the domains measured in implementing policies related to childhood obesity were of low progress. Nine governance indicators were reported as 22.5% (low progress), four in the risk factors domain, and two in the surveillance. This shows that timely and accurate monitoring, participatory review and evaluation, and effective remedies are necessary for a country’s surveillance system. (4) Conclusion: Although Malaysia has published several key strategic documents relating to childhood obesity and implemented numerous policy interventions, we have identified several gaps that must be addressed to leverage the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in addressing childhood obesity in the country.

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Hispanic Maternal Perception of Preschoolers’ Bodyweight Status in Samples from the United States of America and Mexico

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa054_173 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 1101-1101

Author(s):

Summer Wilmoth ◽

Yolanda Flores-Peña ◽

Leah Carrillo ◽

Elana Martinez ◽

Erica Sosa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Obesity Prevention ◽

Weight Status ◽

The United States ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Actual Rate ◽

Actual Weight ◽

Hispanic Mothers ◽

The Us

Abstract Objectives Childhood obesity is a major public health concern, which disproportionally affects Hispanic children in the United States (US) and Mexico. Mothers are key influencers to their children's health and growth. As part of a pilot obesity prevention study, Hispanic mothers’ perception of their preschoolers’ weight status was assessed to inform the development of intervention strategies. Methods Study subjects were Hispanic mothers and their preschoolers between the ages of 3 and 5 enrolled in participating Head Star Centers in Texas, US or kindergartens in Northern Mexico. Upon informed consent, mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing their perception of their preschoolers’ weight status. Preschoolers’ body weight and height were measured; and their actual weight status was classified using the CDC's age and gender specific BMI references. Results Preliminary data included 85 and 294 child-mother pairs from US and Mexico, respectively. The US sample had a higher rate of overweight and obesity (35%) in comparison to the Mexico sample (19%). There was a great discrepancy between mothers’ perception and their children's actual weight status in both samples. Although only approximately 5% of children were underweight, 14% of American and 24% of Mexican mothers perceived their children being underweight. Contrarily, only 4.8% of American mothers perceived their children as a little overweight or obese, as compared to the actual rate of 35%. Similarly, only 5% of Mexican mothers perceived their children as a little overweight or obese, as compared to the actual rate of 19%. Conclusions Hispanic mothers in the US and Mexico appear to worry about their normal weight children being underweight, while overlooking the overweight and obesity problem. Early childhood obesity prevention programming is needed to aggressively address Hispanic mothers’ preference of chubby children, and the mothers’ underestimation of overweight and obesity among their preschoolers. Funding Sources The Mexico's National Science and Technology Council & The Kellogg´s Institute of Nutrition and Health.

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