Obesity Intervention Programs Among Adolescents Using Social Cognitive Theory: A Systematic Literature Review Publisher Pubmed

Summary: Research suggests social cognitive theory-based programs show weak success in reducing teen obesity, urging better strategies. #TeenHealth #ObesityPrevention

Bagherniya M¹ ; Taghipour A² ; Sharma M³ ; Sahebkar A⁴ ; Contento IR⁵ ; Keshavarz SA⁶ ; Mostafavi Darani F⁷ ; Safarian M⁸
Source: Health Education Research Published:2018

Abstract

Social cognitive theory (SCT) is a well-known theory for designing nutrition education and physical activity programs for adolescents.This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intervention studies based on SCT in reducing or preventing overweight and obesity in adolescents. An electronic literature search in PubMed- Medline, Web of Science and Scopus was performed to identify intervention studies based on SCT aiming at preventing or reducing obesity in adolescents. All the articles published up to July 2016 were included. Only studies reporting body mass index (BMI) or its variant as one of the outcome measures were included. From 240 initially identified studies, 12met the eligibility criteria. Seven had moderate or strong study quality. Two of the eight randomized controlled trials (RCT) and two of the four quasi-experimental studies showed significant reduction in BMI among intervened participants compared to control. Impacts on diet and physical activity were mixed, but were mostly not significant. The current systematic review found only weak evidence for the efficacy of SCT-based interventions in treating and preventing obesity in adolescents. Further studies systematically using effective behavior change strategies or techniques, larger population sizes, bettermeasurement tools andmore robust designs are warranted for a conclusive judgment. © The Author(s) 2017.