PICO(T) Questions and an Evidence-Based Approach

1

Childhood Obesity

Perla Rodriguez

Capella University

NURS-FPX 4030 Making Evidence-Based Decisions

Dr. Alexandra Tripp

June 11, 2022

2

Childhood Obesity

Obesity in children and adolescents is one of the major health issues that are prevalent in

the U. S today. Statistics indicate that over 19% of the young ones in the country are overweight

(Yuksel et al., 2020). The high incidence of excessive weight in the country is a worrisome trend

because it predisposes young people to chronic ailments such as diabetes and high blood pressure

and causes a decline in self-esteem. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the interventions that can

help reduce the prevalence of the condition in the populace. Research indicates that exercising

regularly is a significant intervention that helps reduce obesity in the population (Liu et al., 2019).

Therefore, an investigation will be carried out to determine the effectiveness of this process in

children using the PICOT question: In school-going children (P), how effective is engaging in a

school-based physical exercise regimen (I) compared to not using any intervention (C) in reducing

the prevalence of obesity (O) in a period of twelve months (T)?

Literature Review

Literature Search

A literature search was carried out to identify articles discussing the efficacy of exercise

programs initiated in learning institutions in reducing excessive weight in learners. The search was

conducted on databases containing scholarly articles, including MEDLINE and PubMed, to

unearth twenty articles that discussed the topic. The inclusion criteria used to identify the most

relevant criteria were that the articles must have been published within the past five years, and the

full-text information should be available. Also, the selected articles had to be peer-reviewed to

ensure their contents were reliable. A total of two articles were identified that had the information

needed to answer the research question.

3

Findings of the Studies

Lloyd et al. (2019) investigated the effects of programs initiated in learning institutions in

eradicating excessive body mass in young ones. The authors carried out a randomized qualitative

study incorporating over 1370 learners from 32 learning institutions. The learners were subdivided

into the experimental and control groups. The experimental groups were introduced to an

intervention named HeLP entailed engaging in a sequence of predetermined physical exertions for

one year. The investigation results indicated that involvement in the school-based programs

showed a substantial low reduction in the BMI of children (Lloyd et al., 2018). The children who

participated in the program were as vulnerable to obesity as those who did not participate in the

program.

Love et al. (2018) also conducted investigative research to determine the efficacy of a

program initiated in learning institutions on the prevalence of excessive weight in learners. The

authors conducted a meta-analysis that analyzed the findings compiled from studies that discussed

the effectiveness of school-based programs in preventing obesity in children and adolescents. A

total of twenty-five studies were reviewed, and their findings were analyzed to determine the

exercise programs' effectiveness in reducing obesity in children. The gathered content indicated

that a school-based exercise regimen has minimal effects on children's susceptibility to obesity

(Love et al., 2019). It posited that the introduction of school-based exercise programs give not give

the assurance that incidences of obesity in the learning institutions would decline.

Relevance of the Compiled Findings in Answering the PICOT Question

The information compiled from the studies is relevant in answering the PICOT question by

determining whether the school-based initiative can sufficiently reduce cases of obesity. The

gathered evidence indicates that the programs encouraged young ones to participate in regular

4

physical exertions (Lloyd et al., 2018). However, although the initiatives had positive impacts on

the health and well-being of the young ones, they were ineffective in reducing the prevalence of

obesity in the institutions. However, the programs alone were not sufficient in preventing learners

from becoming overweight. Therefore, it was necessary for more effective measures to be put in

place to prevent the uncontrolled increase in body mass in young children that predisposed them to

health complications.

Yuksel et al. (2020) posited that combining physical exertions and effective management of

the children's dietary intake was a better approach to reducing obesity in school-going children.

The author argued that parental involvement in the school-based program was important because it

ensured that the children did not consume foods that increased their body weight. Liu et al. (2019)

also supported the involvement of all stakeholders in preventing obesity in children through

processes such as educating them on the effectiveness of making lifestyle modifications that would

reduce the susceptibility of children to obesity. The process included consuming a healthy diet and

engaging in physical activities regularly to eliminate excessive fat and maintain a healthy body

frame. Therefore, the findings highlight the need to combine school-based exercise regimens with

measures such as controlling the dietary intake of the young ones to elicit positive outcomes in

reducing obesity in school children (Liu et al., 2019). This aspect requires the education and

participation of parents and other primary caregivers in the efforts to reduce obesity in the young

ones.

Conclusion

Obesity in children is a significant health issue that cannot be downplayed because of its

negative effects on the lives of the young. Therefore, it is necessary to find an evidence-based

solution that will help safeguard the health and well-being of the young. The PICOT question

5

helped investigate the efficacy of using exercises regimens initiated in learning institutions in

reducing the prevalence of obesity in learners. Astonishingly, the evidence compiled from literary

materials indicated that the intervention is ineffective when used alone. It highlighted the need to

combine the intervention with other vital health promotion measures such as dietary control to

reduce the susceptibility of young ones to obesity successfully.

References

6

Liu, Z., Xu, H. M., Wen, L. M., Peng, Y. Z., Lin, L. Z., Zhou, S., ... & Wang, H. J. (2019). A

systematic review and meta-analysis of the overall effects of school-based obesity

prevention interventions and effect differences by intervention components. International

Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1), 1-12.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-019-0848-8

Lloyd, J., Creanor, S., Logan, S., Green, C., Dean, S. G., Hillsdon, M., ... & Wyatt, K. (2018).

Effectiveness of the Healthy Lifestyles Programme (HeLP) to prevent obesity in UK

primary-school children: a cluster randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Child &

Adolescent Health, 2(1), 35-45. http://www.thelancet.com/child-adolescent

Yuksel, H. S., Şahin, F. N., Maksimovic, N., Drid, P., & Bianco, A. (2020). School-based

intervention programs for preventing obesity and promoting physical activity and fitness: A

systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public

health, 17(1), 347. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010347