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This project will identify commonly used obesity prevention programs that have limited effectiveness for obesity prevention and are thus a suboptimal use of limited public health resources. The specific aims are to: 1) Identify two commonly implemented childhood obesity prevention interventions targeting children ages 0-8 that may lack evidence for impact; 2) Conduct a systematic evidence review, using CHOICES methodology, to identify a) quantitative estimates, if they exist, for impact of each intervention on children’s obesity risk; and b) implementation costs; and 3) Estimate the population impact, costs to society, healthcare cost savings, reach, and impact on racial/ethnic disparities (if possible) of the two interventions from 2020-2030 using the CHOICES methodology, and compare to previously modeled interventions.
Related Research
August 2023
The societal costs and health impacts on obesity of BMI report cards in US schools
This study aimed to estimate the 10-year cost-effectiveness of school-based BMI report cards, a commonly implemented program for childhood obesity prevention in the US where student BMI is reported to parents/guardians by letter with nutrition and physical activity resources, for students in grades 3 to 7. A microsimulation model, using data inputs from evidence reviews MoreOctober 2026
Cross-Sectional Evaluation of WIC Participation Status and Massachusetts Children’s Nutrition after the Cash-Value Benefit Increase
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) increased the Cash-Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables in 2021. Although WIC participants reported increased purchasing, consumption, and variety of fruits and vegetables after the CVB increase, it is unknown whether this resulted in higher fruit and vegetable intake relative to nonparticipants. The MoreOctober 2026