title: Quantifying a Systems Map: Network Analysis of a Childhood Obesity Causal Loop Diagram.
abstract: Causal loop diagrams developed by groups capture a shared understanding of complex problems and provide a visual tool to guide interventions. This paper explores the application of network analytic methods as a new way to gain quantitative insight into the structure of an obesity causal loop diagram to inform intervention design. Identification of the structural features of causal loop diagrams is likely to provide new insights into the emergent properties of complex systems and analysing central drivers has the potential to identify leverage points. The results found the structure of the obesity causal loop diagram to resemble commonly observed empirical networks known for efficient spread of information. Known drivers of obesity were found to be the most central variables along with others unique to obesity prevention in the community. While causal loop diagrams are often specific to single communities, the analytic methods provide means to contrast and compare multiple causal loop diagrams for complex problems.
authors: Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.|Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors: Jaimie
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4543-7161
authors: J
authors: McGlashan
authors: Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Johnstone
authors: Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors: Doug
authors: D
authors: Creighton
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
authors: Kayla
authors: K
authors: de la Haye
authors: Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Allender
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D003196:Computer Graphics; D006801:Humans; D063766:Pediatric Obesity; D011634:Public Health