Latest ArticlesTo explore the mechanism of the impact of small games (SSG) on the physical health of children and adolescents and the reasonable application strategies, the study reviewes the multi-dimensional effects of SSG on the body composition, motor ability, cardiovascular health, musculoskeletal health and metabolic health of children and adolescents, and proposes the strategies for the reasonable application of SSG, which include scientifically designing training programs, emphasizing individualized differences, and strengthening monitoring and feedback. It can provide theoretical support and practical suggestions for the application of SSG in promoting the physical health of children and adolescents.
In recent years, China has witnessed a trend of earlier onset and wider prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents. Obesity not only elevates the risk of chronic diseases but also adversely impacts mental health and social adaptability in the population. The study analyzes the combined effects of genetic, behavioral, social, and environmental factors on obesity in childhren and adolescents, and proposes a three-tier public health intervention framework:primary prevention targeting risk factor control, secondary prevention with early intervention for at-risk groups, and tertiary prevention employing comprehensive clinical management for severe cases. Guided by the social-ecological model, the authors emphasize a "five-in-one" collaborative approach involving individuals, families, schools, healthcare institutions, as well as communities. Multisectoral cooperation is critical to promoting healthy diets, physical activity, and ultimately curbing the rising trend of obesity in childhren and adolescents to safeguard physical and mental well-being.
The mental health assessment work for students in the UK is based on mental health promotion theory, employing a multidimensional approach to evaluate emotional disorders, conduct disorders, hyperactivity disorders, and other aspects across the entire educational continuum from preschool to university. Utilizing international validated standardized scales and customized questionnaires, the system has demonstrated significant preventive efficacy against student mental health issues. China stands to gain valuable insights from the UK's experience, particularly in implementing the Special Action Plan for Comprehensively Strengthening and Improving Students Mental Health Work in the New Era (2023-2025). Strategic adaptation could involve expanding assessment populations, refining evaluation criteria, standardizing measurement tools, and strengthening implementation protocols to systematically enhance China's students mental health assessment framework.
To analyze the association between different sleep statuses and overweight/obesity among primary school students, so as to provide a basis for the development of childhood overweight and obesity prevention and control strategies.
In November 2023, a total of 3 391 primary school students of grade 1-6 from seven schools in Baoan District, Shenzhen, were surveyed by questionnaires and physical examinations by using multi-stage cluster sampling. The Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between primary school students' sleep status and overweight/obesity.
The detection rate of overweight/obesity in primary school students was 22.59%, the detection rate of overweight/obesity in boys (27.04%) was higher than that in girls (17.44%), the only child (25.81%) had higher rates than non-only child (21.76%), and the differences were statistically significant (χ2=51.48, 5.98, P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that, after controlling for confounders, primary school students' weekend nighttime sleep duration (OR=0.83, 95%CI=0.75-0.91), weekly average nighttime sleep duration (OR=0.76, 95%CI=0.64-0.89), and weekend compensated sleep duration (OR=0.89, 95%CI=0.81-0.97) were negatively associated with the risk of developing overweight/obesity (P<0.05). Compared with to primary school students with school days nap durations<0.5 h, those whose napped for 0.5-<1 h and ≥1 h on school days had a 20% (OR=1.20, 95%CI=1.02-1.42) and 37% (OR=1.37, 95%CI=1.02-1.83) increased risk of overweight/obesity, respectively (P<0.05).
Increasing weekend nighttime sleep duration, average weekly nighttime sleep duration, and weekend compensatory sleep duration can reduce the risk of overweight and obesity in primary school students. School days nap duration is a risk factor for overweight/obesity among primary school students.
To explore the association of health literacy with overweight and obesity among middle school students in Chongqing, so as to provide evidence for obesity prevention and control strategies.
From November to December 2019, a stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 7 851 middle school students from 8 complete middle schools across 4 districts/counties in Chongqing. Participants completed the Adolescent Health Literacy Questionnaire and underwent nutritional status assessments. Chi-square tests and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents was 12.95%. The overall health literacy rate and rates for functional, interactive, and critical health literacy dimensions were 62.01%, 66.02%, 50.07%, and 72.42%, respectively. Significant differences in overweight and obesity prevalence were observed across districts/counties, urban/rural areas, sex, school stages, and only-child status (χ2=25.93, 3.86, 80.55, 8.80, 6.43, P<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate Logistic regression revealed that middle school students with overall health literacy (OR=0.86, 95%CI=0.75-0.99), interactive health literacy (OR=0.85, 95%CI=0.74-0.97), and critical health literacy (OR=0.84, 95%CI=0.73-0.98) had a lower risk of overweight and obesity (P<0.05).
Health literacy is inversely associated with overweight and obesity among middle school students. Strengthening health education and improving interactive and critical health literacy may create favorable conditions for adolescent overweight and obesity prevention and control.
To examine the association of joint effect of overweight and obesity with dyslipidemia on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in children, so as to provide scientific evidence for the prevention of early cardiovascular damage in children.
Data were obtained from the second follow-up cross-sectional survey of Huantai Childhood Cardiovascular Health Cohort study in 2021, comprising 1 047 children aged 10-15 years with complete information. Based on overweight and obesity status and dyslipidemia status, all participants were divided into four groups: normal weight with normal lipid levels, normal weight with dyslipidemia, overweight and obesity with normal lipid levels, and overweight and obesity with dyslipidemia. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) levels and prevalence of LVH across four groups were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression model was used to examine the association of joint effect of overweight and obesity with dyslipidemia on LVH in children.
There were significant differences in LVMI levels [(28.66±7.10, 29.63±4.71, 31.49±5.86, 32.65±4.80)g/m2.7] and prevalence of LVH (4.28%, 12.50%, 22.74%, 31.30%) across four groups (F/χ2=50.76, 90.92, P<0.05). After adjustment for confounding variables such as gender, age, screen time, sleep duration, fruit and vegetable intake, carbonated beverage consumption, physical activity and elevated blood pressure, compared to children with both normal weight and normal lipid levels, the risk of LVH in children with dyslipidemia alone increased (OR=3.27, 95%CI=1.57-6.82, P<0.05). Children with overweight and obesity alone also had a significantly increased risk of LVH (OR=6.33, 95%CI=3.76-10.66), and the highest risk was observed in those with both overweight and obesity with dyslipidemia (OR=9.66, 95%CI=5.35-17.43) (P<0.05).
The joint effect of overweight and obesity with dyslipidemia is positively correlated with LVH in children. To prevent LVH in children, both overweight and obesity with dyslipidemia should be paid attention to.
To explore the development history trends and research hotspots in children and adolescent overweight and obesity studies, so as to provide a basis for conducting scientific research in related fields.
Relevant literature were retrieved from CNKI, WanFang Data Knowledge Service Platform, VIP Chinese Journal Service Platform, China Biomedical Literature Service System, Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed database from January 1980 to September 2024, and knowledge graph was constructed by using CiteSpace visualization software to explore and analyze.
A total of 9 108 articles were retrieved (5 197 in Chinese and 3 911 in English). From 1980 to 2024, the number of publications in the field of overweight and obesity research in children and adolescents showed an upward trend. Keyword co-occurrence analysis showed that body fat percentage (intermediary centrality: 0.69), body mass index (intermediary centrality: 0.50) and physical activity (intermediary centrality: 0.13) were the bridge keywords connecting the research field. The keyword clustering results showed that coexistence outcomes of multiple diseases such as cardiovascular metabolic diseases and psychological disorders, as well as intervention plans based on family, school and community became research hotspots. The evaluation of the effects of high-intensity interval training and emerging weight loss interventions such as electronic games gradually became a new trend in research.
Influencing factors, coexistence outcomes of multiple diseases, and the application and evaluation of intervention remain key research focuses in children and adolescent overweight/obesity studies.
To explore the comorbidity and associated factors of dental caries and overweight/obesity among primary and secondary school students in Guangxi, so as to provide a scientific basis for the development of targeted prevention strategies.
A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to survey 178 700 students from the fourth grade of primary school to the third year of high school in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from September to November 2023, including physical examination, oral screening, and questionnaire survey. Chi-square tests and binary Logistic regression analysis were employed to investigate the related factors of the co-occurrence of dental caries and overweight/obesity among students.
The comorbidity rate of dental caries and overweight/obesity was 9.55%, with urban areas (9.95%) higher than rural counties (9.24%), boys (10.54%) higher than girls (8.54%), primary school students (11.49%) higher than senior high school students (8.92%) and junior high school students (8.05%), and non-boarding students (11.44%) higher than boarding students (7.94%), and all differences were statistically significant (χ2=26.07, 207.91, 471.54, 629.14, P<0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that consuming cereal for breakfast (OR=0.91, 95%CI=0.88-0.94), drinking milk in the past week (OR=0.89, 95%CI=0.83-0.95), meeting sleep standards (OR=0.95, 95%CI=0.91-0.99), and brushing teeth at least once a day (OR=0.82, 95%CI=0.73-0.93) had a lower risk of the comorbidity of dental caries and overweight/obesity. In contrast, drinking beverages in the past week (OR=1.14, 95%CI=1.09-1.20), consuming fried foods in the past week (OR=1.11, 95%CI=1.06-1.17), eating fruit ≥1 time every day (OR=1.06, 95%CI=1.02-1.11), consuming fruit ≥1 type every day (OR=1.07, 95%CI=1.01-1.12), and having fish, poultry, meat, or egg-based breakfasts (OR=1.03, 95%CI=1.05-1.13) had a higher risk of the comorbidity of dental caries and overweight/obesity (P<0.05).
Dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors are associated with the comorbidity of dental caries and overweight/obesity among primary and secondary school students in Guangxi. Guiding students to form healthy living habits is helpful to preven dental caries and overweight/obesity.
To analyze the effects of health literacy on overweight and obesity among primary school students and their parents in terms of salt, oil and sugar reduction (referred to as the "three reductions"), so as to provide a theoretical basis for the development of obesity control measures.
From March to April 2024, a total of 1 022 fourth-grade primary school students and 913 parents were surveyed in 24 classes in six counties in Shandong Province using multistage cluster random sampling, and physical measurements of primary school students were conducted. Pearson's correlation analysis and ordered multivariate Logistic regression were used to investigate the associations between health literacy of primary school students and their parents with overweight and obesity among children.
The detection rates of overweight and obesity primary school students in Shandong Province were 14.87% and 24.66%, respectively, with significant sex difference in obesity rate (29.46% for boys and 19.76% for girls) (χ2=12.93, P<0.01). In addition to students' reducing oil scores, parental reducing salt, reducing oil, reducing sugar, comprehensive health literacy scores and students' reducing salt, reducing sugar and comprehensive health literacy scores showed a negative relationship with students' overweight and obesity (r=-0.10, -0.08, -0.07, -0.10, -0.04, -0.07, -0.03, P<0.05). The overweight and obesity rates among primary school students with high parental reducing salt, reducing oil, reducing sugar and composite health literacy scores were lower (OR=0.69, 0.69, 0.71, 0.63, P<0.05); and the overweight and obesity rate among students with high parental and low parental and high and low parental health literacy scores were lower (OR=0.68, 0.57, P<0.05).
Improving health literacy regarding "three reductions" for parents and children, especially parents, can effectively reduce the risk of childhood overweight and obesity.
To analyze the consumption frequency of major foods among Chinese children aged 6-17 years old, and to provide a basis for optimizing the dietary structure of children in China.
Using data from the China Nutrition and Health System Survey and Application Program for Children 0-18 years old, 56 734 children aged 6-17 years old from North, Norththeast East, Central, South, Southwest and Northwest seven regions in China were selected for the study using stratified cluster random sampling from 2019 to 2021. A food frequency questionnaire was used to investigate the intake frequency of eight food groups in a month, including fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, livestock and poultry meats, aquatic products, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and cereals and potatoes. The foods were grouped according to whether they met the recommended intake criteria outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents 2022. The χ2 test was used to compare the differences in the proportion of children's intake frequency of each food group meeting the standard in different regions and age groups.
The proportions of Chinese children aged 6-17 years who consumed fresh vegetables and cereals and potatoes ≥3 times/d were 12.1% and 67.2%, respectively. The proportions of children who consumed fresh fruits, livestock and poultry meats, eggs and dairy products ≥1 time/d were 50.8%, 58.8%, 36.0% and 54.3%, respectively. The proportion of legumes consumed ≥4 times/week was 37.4%, and the proportion of aquatic products consumed ≥2 times/week was 39.7%. Fresh vegetables (5.5%), fresh fruits (33.1%), and dairy products (36.4%) had the lowest frequency of meeting the recommended standards in South China, and aquatic products (27.4%) and eggs (21.1%) had the lowest frequency of meeting the recommended standards in Northwest (P < 0.008 3).
The overall intake frequency of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, legumes, and dairy products are insufficient among Chinese children, with significant regional variations.