Research Korner: Childhood Obesity

RESEARCH PROTOCOL FOR SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE PREVALENCE OF 	CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN EUROPE AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS 	 	  	 	 	Introduction 	 	Recognizing 	childhood obesity prevalence in 	 	EU based countries which impose to several meta-analyses, research 	studies conducted by proponents putting concerns to obesity and its factors. 	Focus towards the prevalence of child obesity and several associated Factors 	of the latter context. This can be in accordance academic reviewed journals 	and or articles dealing to obesity and anything that goes with the reality 	of such probably studies on the prevalence found in diverse 	 	EU based populations. Childhood obesity 	 	prevalence and some associated factors will help researchers and 	advocates become aware of obesity and how it is noted as well as manifested 	mostly those found in 	 	EU children and how does 	 	obesity related factors affected EU thus, having substantial attention 	on how to come up with effective measures to avoid, control and prevent 	cases of obesity in the EU countries such as 	 	UK, 	 	Germany, 	 	Spain, 	 	France and others. 	 	 	Research Question: 	 	A) WHAT ARE 	THE PREVALENCE OF OBESITY AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPE? 	 	  	 	B) WHAT ARE 	THE RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREVALENCE OF OBESITY AMONG CHILDREN 	AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPE? 	 	Outcome 	Variables: 	 	 - The 	obesity prevalence in some of EU based population 	 	- The 	associated 	 	risk factors concerning childhood obesity evidences in EU countries 	 	 	 	Operationalization: 	 	Prevalence- 	Referring to some percentage ratio of such obesity affected areas in the UK, 	comprising of UK based population affected with obesity and its factors 	within a particular time frame  	 	Obesity – 	defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or more, common in 	parts of the world, especially in the established 	 	market economies, the former socialist economies of Europe, 	 	Latin America, the 	 	Caribbean and the 	 	Middle Eastern Crescent, as 250 million people worldwide may be obese 7 	percent of the adult population, two to three times as many may be 	considered overweight (Seidell, 1999 pp. 46-50). 	 	 	 	Obese child – is an individual who is ideally a victim of 	 	obesity situation, someone who is hit by obesity and its prevalence and 	is someone who is at risk of the latter condition 	 	Risk 	factors – this refers to risks enclosed by the obesity situations, noting 	several factors of obesity, factors assimilate to 	 	specific risks involved in the prevalence of obesity in the UK based 	population. 	 	United 	Kingdom – Preferably those populations adhering to 	 	Germany, 	 	Greece, Spain, 	 	Switzerland, 	 	Great Britain, England etc. (National Statistics: EU/UK data, 2009) 	 	 	 	DATA SOURCES: 	 	 	      	 	British 	journal of 	 	nutrition 	 	 	      	 	The 	international journal of rural and remote health research, 	 	education practice and policy 	 	 	      	 	Journal of 	Public Health 	 	 	      	 	 	 	International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research 	 	 	      	 	European 	Journal of 	 	Public Health 	 	 	      	 	 	 	Diabetes and Metabolism 	 	 	      	 	BMC Public 	Health 	 	 	      	 	 	 	Swiss Medical weekly 	 	 	      	 	Achieves of 	Disease in Childhood 	 	 	      	 	The 	 	Medical Journal of Australia 	 	 	      	 	British 	Medical Journal 	 	 	      	 	Public 	Health Nutrition 	 	 	      	 	 	International Journal of Obesity 	 			 			 			Item 			 			 			 			Inclusion criteria 			 			 			 			Exclusion criteria 		 			 			  			 			 			Language 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			 			Type of publication 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			 			Date of publication 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			 			Content 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			 			Study group 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			 			Study measure 			 			 			  			 			 			English 			 			  			 			  			 			 			Full text, ms word documents, WinZip and PDF formats 			 			  			 			  			 			 			Within ten to fifteen years 			 			  			 			  			 			 			Relative to keywords such as (childhood obesity, prevalence, risk 			factors, EU countries) 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			 			Obese children and young people, other relevant groups such as EU 			based population 			 			  			 			 			Measures of obesity prevalence and its associated risk factors in 			Europe in methodological assessments such as in qualitative and 			quantitative analysis, descriptions and organization 			 			 			  			 			 			Other than English, non-English 			 			  			 			 			Abstract ONLY and several unknown file types or at security 			filenames 			 			  			 			  			 			 			More than fifteen years 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			Not 			related to the keywords given 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			Not 			conforming to the EU context 			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			  			 			 			Methods or measures not helpful to obesity and its risk factors in 			EU 			 			  		 	  	 	 	Search Techniques: 	 	 	Detailed yet systematic literature review in summation of a total of sixteen 	peer reviewed academic articles/journals, focusing research subject on 	obesity, its prevalence and risk factors found within the EU context. The 	article journal search parameters will comprise of studies noted from the 	year 1995 up to the present year, if possible. Search strategy does have 	some peer reviewed insights as well as abstract write ups found on each 	study presented, realizing research investigations in meta analysis focusing 	on childhood ‘obesity’ in relation to its risk factors, such as for example 	the study conducted in Cyprus, Greece and Great Britain research samples and 	others.   	 	 	Data extraction 	 	The sixteen 	selected articles/journals were further modified in summation upon noting in 	ample information towards obesity prevalence and its risk factors, the 	European context and research continuum. Every selected article/journal was 	further inspected to obtain information relevant to the research. A table 	was developed with the headings such as; 	 	Study (yr 	of publication) 	 	Title 	 	Authors 	 	Study 	population 	 	Type of 	Study 	 	Year of 	study 	 	Sample size 	 	Journal 	 	Prevalence 	of childhood obesity 	 	Quality 	assessment score (check list score) 	 	Quality 	assessment score (sample size score) 	   There provides illustrative representation of the data for proper grading, analysis and interpretation. QUALITY ASSESSMENT The quality assessment can be based on critique, critiquing the eighteen articles or journals based on the following above points mentioned. Quality assessment was done using the sample size (A> 5000, B = 1000- 5000, C < 1000) and a modified eight point quality rating system published by the US department of Health and Human Resources, Agency For Healthcare Research and Quality (http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/strengthsum.htm). The checklist included; Study question, study population, comparability of subjects, and exposure to intervention, outcome measurement, statistical analysis, results, and discussion.  Each point was scored and rescaled to 100 for clarity with 100 representing the highest score. The methods were adopted because of the differences in the populations and settings from which the results of the studies were obtained. Studies 1.     Serra-Majem L (2006) Prevalence and determinants of obesity in Spanish children and young people British journal of nutrition 2.     Mavrakanas T A (2009)Childhood obesity and elevated blood pressure in the rural population of northern Greece The international journal of rural and remote health research, education practice and policy 3.     Groholt E (2008) Overweight and Obesity among adolescents in Norway: Cultural and Socio-economic differences Journal of Public Health 4.     Kosti R I (2007) Dietary Habits, Physical activity and Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity among adolescents in Greece: the Vyronas Study. International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research 5.     Yngve A (2007) Differences in Prevalence of Overweight and Stunting in 11-year olds across Europe: The Pro Children Study. European Journal of Public Health 6.     Heude B (2003) Time Trend in Height, Weight and Obesity Prevalence in School Children from Northern France, 1992-2000. Diabetes and Metabolism 7.     Manios Y (2007) Prevalence of Obesity in Preschool Greek Children, in relation to Parental Characteristics and region of Residence BMC Public Health 8.     Zimmermann M B (2004) Overweight and Obesity in 6-12 year old Children in Switzerland Swiss Medical weekly 9.     Kalies H (2002) Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity and trends in body mass index in Germany pre-school children, 1982-1997 International Journal of Obesity 10.Hurk K (2007) Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the Netherlands in 2003, compared to 1980 and 1997. Achieves of Disease in Childhood 11.Saxena S (2004) Ethnic group differences in Overweight and Obese Children and Young people in England: cross-sectional Survey Achieves of Disease in Childhood 12.Stamatakis E (2005) Overweight and Obesity Trends from 1974 to 2003 in English Children: What is the Socioeconomic factors? Achieves of Disease in Childhood 13.Magarey A M (2001) Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Australian Children and Adolescents: Reassessment of 1985 and 1995 data against new standard international definitions. The Medical Journal of Australia 14.Chinn S (2001)Prevalence and trends in Overweight and Obesity in three Cross Sectional studies of British Children, 1974-94. British Medical Journal 15.Jebb S A (2003)Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among young people in Great Britain. Public Health Nutrition 16.Savva S C (2002) Obesity in Children and Adolescents in Cyprus. Prevalence and Predisposing factors. International Journal of Obesity Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

RESEARCH PROTOCOL FOR SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE PREVALENCE OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN EUROPE AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS

RESEARCH PROTOCOL FOR SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE PREVALENCE OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN EUROPE AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS ...