Hygiena 2020, 65(4):134-139 | DOI: 10.21101/hygiena.a1733

What are the existing barriers to the efficiency of child obesity prevention programmes?

Lucie Smejkalová, Jindřich Fiala

Masarykova univerzita, Lékařská fakulta, Ústav ochrany a podpory zdraví, Brno, Česká republika

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe and summarise the barriers that hinder the success of preventive programmes.

Methods: Data was collected using keyword searches from 4 search engines in scientific publications.

Results: Barriers to successful programme implementation were divided into 5 groups according to the subjects most affected by these obstacles. The most frequently mentioned barriers within a family context are time and finances. The same is true of doctors who additionally point out uncertainties in the recommendations that they should follow. For children, the most frequent barriers to compliance are different preferences in eating and leisure. In terms of schools the most common problem is caused by small subsidies for physical education and staffing for extra activities. Advertising that supports unhealthy lifestyles is a barrier on the societal level.

Conclusion: Prevention should primarily be focused on the family as a whole. Above all, programmes should not be demanding on parental time and finances to which they attached the greatest importance according to the described sources.

Keywords: child obesity, obesity prevention, health promotion programmes - success

Received: October 2019; Revised: October 22, 2019; Accepted: October 22, 2020; Published: December 17, 2020  Show citation