National Policies and Intervention Programs on Childhood Obesity Prevention in China (P22-018-19)

Abstract

Abstract Objectives This study examined:1) prevalence of overweight and obesity (ov/ob) in children aged 0–18 y in China, 2) national policies and intervention programs on childhood obesity in China since 1949, and 3) provided recommendations for future work. Methods Literature search and expert consultation were conducted to identify childhood obesity related national intervention programs and policies in China since 1949. We systematically searched: a) Baidu.com, the dominant search engine in China, b) official websites of national-level government sectors, c) Chinese databases: CNKI and Wanfang from 1949 to 2018, and d) google.com. 20 leading international (eg, from the US) and national (from China) experts on childhood obesity were surveyed in November-December 2018. Results In China prevalence of ov/ob increased from 5.8% in 1991 to 9.5% in 2011 in preschool children (2–6 y), and from 8.0% in 1985 to 27.9% in 2014 in school children (7–18 y). Development of national policies on childhood obesity prevention experienced 3 stages: 1) 1949–1994: Childhood ov/ob were low, related research and national surveys emerged; 2) 1995–2010: childhood ov/ob increased rapidly, related policies and intervention programs were gradually established; 3) 2011-: policies focused on improving nutrition status of children in poor areas, establishing monitoring systems, but effectiveness of these polices was not assessed. Nine major national intervention programs were identified. Institutions implementing the interventions mainly included the State Council and institutions directly under the State Council. The programs focused on preschool or school children and aimed to promote physical activity (eg, “The Happy 10 Minutes Program”) and healthy eating (eg, School Meal Program). No interventions targeted at improving environments. Effectiveness of the programs was not reported. Conclusions Childhood ov/ob has increased rapidly in China, with the fastest increase among major countries and has the largest number of ov/ob children in the world. Compared to many industrialized countries, national policies and interventions on childhood obesity in China are limited, more future efforts are needed and publishing the Chinese Obesity Blue Paper help fill a gap. Funding Sources United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).