Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.2
4.8
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Community, School and Family-Based Dietary Interventions for Childhood Obesity
nutrients-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Community, School and Family-Based Dietary Interventions for Childhood Obesity

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Obesity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 1654

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jayna Markand Dave

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: health disparities; obesity; chronic disease; children and families; low-income underserved communities; food access; food choice; food insecurity; nutrition security; nutrition and health outcomes; community-engaged approaches to population health; design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions in preschool, schools, and family- and community-based settings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Debbe Thompson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Avenue, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: behavioral nutrition; physical activity; obesity prevention diabetes prevention/management; behavioral theory; children adolescents; technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Childhood obesity remains a critical public health concern, with wide-ranging consequences for children's physical and mental well-being. This Special Issue focuses on a comprehensive approach to addressing this complex issue, highlighting the importance of community, school, and family-based dietary interventions. We welcome original research papers and reviews that explore the design, implementation, and evaluation of dietary interventions, targeting the following:

Community-based interventions: These initiatives will aim to create environments that promote healthy eating. Examples include community gardens, cooking classes, and access to affordable, nutritious foods.

School-based interventions: Schools play a crucial role in shaping children's dietary habits. Research on improving school meal quality and integrating nutrition education into the curriculum will be of particular interest.

Family-based interventions: Family dynamics significantly influence children's food choices. Some contributions will explore strategies to empower families to make healthy choices and develop positive eating habits.

By focusing on these diverse yet interconnected settings, this Special Issue aims to contribute valuable insights for developing effective and sustainable strategies to combat childhood obesity. The articles featured in this issue will explore the impact of targeted dietary interventions, the importance of collaborative efforts among stakeholders, and the ways in which policy, environment, and education can synergistically foster healthier lifestyles for children. We hope this collection serves as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, informing future interventions, empowering communities, schools, and families to work together in fostering a healthier future for our children.

Dr. Jayna Markand Dave
Prof. Dr. Debbe Thompson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • childhood obesity
  • public health
  • dietary interventions
  • community-based interventions
  • school-based interventions
  • family-based interventions

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 1734 KiB  
Article
“It Should Be a Priority”: Lessons Learned by Head Start Leaders, Staff, and Parent Facilitators Delivering a Multi-Site Parent-Centered Child Obesity Prevention Intervention
by Cristina M. Gago, Alyssa Aftosmes-Tobio, Natalie Grafft and Kirsten K. Davison
Nutrients 2025, 17(6), 1063; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17061063 - 18 Mar 2025
Viewed by 259
Abstract
Background: Head Start, a federally funded preschool for low-income families, offers a unique space for interventionists to equitably reach parents and children, and promote healthful behavior for chronic disease prevention. However, determinants of implementation in this context remain understudied, hindering opportunities for [...] Read more.
Background: Head Start, a federally funded preschool for low-income families, offers a unique space for interventionists to equitably reach parents and children, and promote healthful behavior for chronic disease prevention. However, determinants of implementation in this context remain understudied, hindering opportunities for improvement. We aim to identify organization-level factors affecting implementation of an obesity prevention program, as relayed by implementation partners at Head Start. Methods: Communities for Healthy Living (CHL), designed and implemented with Greater Boston Head Start (n = 16 programs across n = 2 agencies), is a cluster-randomized obesity prevention trial offering enhanced nutrition support, media campaign, and a parenting program. The current study draws on two years (2017-19) of data collected from Head Start implementation partners. Pre-implementation, staff completed anonymous surveys: implementation readiness (n = 119), staff training evaluation (n = 166), and facilitator training evaluation (n = 22); response frequencies were tabulated. Mid-implementation, staff and leadership participated in focus groups (n = 3 groups with n = 16 participants) and interviews (n = 9); transcripts were analyzed using a deductive-inductive hybrid approach, grounded in the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Results: Most staff strongly agreed or agreed they understood their role (98.8%), planned on recruiting parents (98.2%), and reported commitment to implementation (92.5%); however, fewer identified CHL as a priority (69.7%) and were confident in their ability to coordinate efforts (84.9%), handle challenges (77.3%), and receive support (83.2%). Thematic analysis yielded implementation facilitators, including mission alignment, partner engagement in design, allocation of intervention-specific resources, and expressed leadership support. Barriers included strains imposed on staff workflow, a lack of shared responsibility, and challenges in coordinating CHL activities amidst competing Head Start programs. Conclusions: Responsive efforts to address deliverer-identified barriers to implementation may include reducing intervention impact on preexisting workflow, as well as clearly distinguishing intervention activities from preexisting Head Start programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community, School and Family-Based Dietary Interventions for Childhood Obesity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2727 KiB  
Article
Adequate Food and Nutrition in School: Acceptability and Consumption by Students of a Brazilian Municipality
by Patricia Henriques, Camile R. T. de Alvarenga, Marina M. S. Menezes, Daniele M. Ferreira, Luciene Burlandy and Beatriz D. Soares
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030528 - 31 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1005
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of a specific menu preparation based on minimally processed foods and the factors associated with the consumption of school meals by students in Brazilian public schools. Methods: A hedonic scale was employed to assess the [...] Read more.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of a specific menu preparation based on minimally processed foods and the factors associated with the consumption of school meals by students in Brazilian public schools. Methods: A hedonic scale was employed to assess the acceptability of a milk preparation with 100% cocoa and sugar. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate school food consumption, addressing consumption frequency, dietary habits, environmental conditions, and consumption of competing foods. A binomial logistic regression model was conducted to verify the association between individual variables and conditions of meal supply and consumption. Data analyses were performed using the Jamovi 2022 software. Results: A total of 1080 students participated, with 630 taking part in the acceptability test, and 450 completing the consumption questionnaire. The study highlighted acceptance below the minimum PNAE standards (79.68%) for the tested preparation, indicating a need for further investigation into student preferences. Pleasant taste was the most frequently cited reason (53.2%) for consumption. Disliking the served lunch increased the likelihood of not consuming school meals by 2.73% (p = 0.03). Bringing snacks from home showed no significant impact on consumption (p = 0.677). Using inadequate cutlery increased the likelihood of not consuming school meals by 6.44% (p = 0.009). Conclusions: The study underscored the low acceptance of milk prepared with 100% cocoa and sugar, along with irregular school meal consumption, emphasizing the need for strategies to align students’ taste preferences with healthier menu options. While PNAE ensures nutrient-rich meals, improving flavor, variety, and dining conditions, alongside permanent food and nutrition education, is essential to enhance adherence and support students’ health. Although snacks do not affect the consumption of school meals, controlling snack intake is important from a health perspective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community, School and Family-Based Dietary Interventions for Childhood Obesity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop