title: Healthy Weights Interventions in Aboriginal Children and Youth: A Review of the Literature.
abstract: There is evidence that Aboriginal children and youth in Canada and elsewhere are at higher risk of obesity and overweight than other children. However, there has been no review of healthy weights interventions specifically aimed at Aboriginal children. A structured search for peer-reviewed articles presenting and evaluating healthy weights interventions for Aboriginal children and youth was conducted. Seventeen articles, representing seven interventions, were reviewed to identify their main characteristics, evaluation design, and evaluation outcomes. Interventions included several large community-based programs as well as several more focused programs that all targeted First Nations or American Indians, rather than Métis or Inuit. Only 1 program served an urban Aboriginal population. None of the published evaluations reported significant reductions in obesity or overweight or sustained increases in physical activity, although some evaluations presented evidence of positive effects on children's diets or on nutrition knowledge or intentions. We conclude that broader structural factors affecting the health of Aboriginal children may limit the effectiveness of these interventions, and that more evidence is required regarding interventions for Aboriginal children in various geographic and cultural contexts in Canada including Inuit and Métis communities.
authors.affiliation: a Northern Ontario Dietetic Internship Program, Barrie, ON.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Towns
authors.affiliation: b School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.affiliation: c Northern Ontario Dietetic Internship Program, Sudbury, ON.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rysdale
authors.affiliation: d Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D065246:Culturally Competent Care; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000208:ethnology; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000208:ethnology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D004930:Inuit; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012423:Rural Health / Q000208:ethnology