Meta-analysis of the Effects of Obesity Management Program for Children

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aims of this study is to analysis the effects of obesity management programs for children and to measure the differences in the effects by type and dependent variables in order to analyze the structures of the programs. METHODS: Sixty-one peer-reviewed journals including child obesity and intervention studies published between 2000 and 2010 were included for meta-analysis. Effect size and statistics of homogeneity were by STAT 10.0. RESULTS: A total of 61 studies were used in the analysis, and the effect size of the independent studies was determined to be -0.23 (95% CI, -0.32 ~ -0.15). Serum Leptin and Insulin were the big effect size among the studies that used dependent variables. The theses used in the research did not display publishing bias. CONCLUSION: Obesity management programs that have been confirmed to be effective need to be developed into regional protocols. A continuous control of obese children and research for effective intervention program are in need.