A NEW review of the published literature on interventions to promote physical activity in children and adolescents found more evidence of an effect among adolescents than among children.

 

Published in this week’s BMJ, the review found weak or inconclusive evidence for the effectiveness of strategies to promote children's physical activity.

However, it confirmed that in adolescents the most effective interventions have many components and are undertaken in multiple settings (school, home, and community). The review found that randomised controlled trials focused on education were not sufficient to change behaviour and sustain such changes. This was irrespective of whether interventions targeted children, adolescents, or parents; low or high socioeconomic groups; or whether they were conducted at school or in the community. The review concluded that effective interventions were those that educated as well as facilitated physical activity by providing opportunities and supportive environments at school, at home, and in the community. The authors said: “Multi-component interventions may make important differences in physical activity levels in adolescents.”

 

The authors questioned whether it was worth pursuing interventions that targeted boys and girls separately, ethnic minority populations, or those that attempted to change the environment or were delivered via the family or community settings.

However, interpretation of the review’s findings is limited by the fact that most of the interventions reviewed provided education alone, and these interventions were seldom found to be effective.

 

Colin Waine says: “This research suggests that we need to engage every child and adolescent to determine how best to find solutions to this issue.”

 Van Sluijs EMF, McMinn AM, Griffin SJ. Effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity in children and adolescents: systematic review of controlled trials. BMJ 2007 doi: 10.1136/bmj.39320.843947.BE