Longitudinal effects of school policies on children’s eating behaviors and weight status: findings from the childhood obesity study in China megacities
Authors' conclusion
School policies could reduce children's unhealthy eating behaviors and obesity risk in megacities in China. Children's age, sex, and baseline weight status modify the effects. School policies are important to fight the growing childhood obesity epidemic.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 6–17, their parents, and schools in five large Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Nanjing, Chengdu); data 2015, 2016 and 20171,691 analysed
- Participants
- 3,298 children
- Exposure
- School policies vs no such policy
- Outcome
- Children's weight status and eating behaviors
Methodological detailsopen cohort, longitudinal, multicentre (five large cities), mixed effects models
- Open cohort
- Longitudinal
- Multicentre (five large cities)
- Mixed effects models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- School vicinity food stall policy: consumption of fast food, β
- −0.14, p < 0.01
- School vicinity food stall policy: consumption of snack, β
- −0.84, p < 0.01
- School cafeteria food policy, children without overweight or central obesity at baseline: overweight and obesity, OR
- 0.33 (0.17-0.63) (95% CI)
- School cafeteria food policy, children without overweight or central obesity at baseline: central obesity, OR
- 0.47 (0.26-0.85) (95% CI)
- School vicinity food stall policy, all children without overweight at baseline: BMI, β
- −0.20 (−0.37, −0.03) (95% CI)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Subgroups by sex and age
- School vicinity food stall policy: BMI in girls without overweight at baseline, β
- −0.28 (−0.50, −0.05) (95% CI)
- More significant associations between school policies and unhealthy eating behaviors for girls and children aged 6-11 than their counterparts
- Lower overweight/obesity and central obesity risk with school cafeteria food policy existed for girls, not boys
Original publication
Longitudinal effects of school policies on children’s eating behaviors and weight status: findings from the childhood obesity study in China megacities. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 17 October 2022. doi:10.
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