Narrative Review of Childhood Obesity Prevention Strategies

Bizimana Rukundo T.

Faculty of Biological Sciences Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT

Childhood obesity remains one of the most significant public health challenges worldwide, with its prevalence increasing across both developed and developing countries. This narrative review examines a wide range of childhood obesity prevention strategies, emphasizing cultural considerations, dietary practices, tailored interventions, evaluation methods, and sustainability. The review identifies how ethnic-specific norms, family involvement, and community participation shape intervention outcomes, particularly among high-risk populations such as Hispanic communities. Diverse dietary practices underscore the importance of culturally tailored and multisectoral approaches, while the evaluation of interventions highlights the need for standardized metrics to assess success. Although numerous programs especially school- and community-based initiatives have achieved short-term reductions in body mass index and behavioral improvements, long-term sustainability remains a critical challenge due to funding limitations, community resistance, and weak institutionalization. Comparative analyses of global and European interventions reveal mixed outcomes, indicating that multi-level, culturally sensitive, and family-centered strategies yield the most promising results. The review concludes that innovative, sustained, and collaborative efforts integrating behavioral, environmental, and policy approaches are essential for achieving meaningful reductions in childhood obesity worldwide.

Keywords: Childhood obesity prevention, Cultural considerations, Dietary interventions, Community-based strategies and Public health sustainability.

CITE AS: Bizimana Rukundo T. (2025). Narrative Review of Childhood Obesity Prevention Strategies. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES 5(3):147-159. https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJSES/2025/531147159