The impact of Allied Health Professionals on the primary and secondary prevention of obesity in young children: A scoping review.

Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) have the capacity to promote healthy behaviours in young children through routine 'contact points', as well as structured weight management programmes. This scoping review aims to evaluate the impact of AHPs in the prevention of obesity in young children. Databases were searched for relevant evidence between 1st January 2000 and 17th January 2022. Eligibility criteria included primary evidence (including, but not limited to; randomized controlled trials, observational studies, service evaluations) evaluating the impact of AHPs on the primary and secondary prevention of obesity in young children (mean age under 5 years old). AHP-related interventions typically demonstrated improvements in outcomes such as nutritional behaviour (e.g. lower sweetened drink intake), with some reductions in screen time. However, changes in weight outcomes (e.g. body mass index (BMI) z-score, BMI) in response to an AHP intervention were inconsistent. There was insufficient data to determine moderating effects, however tentative evidence suggests that those with a lower socioeconomic status or living in an underprivileged area may be more likely to lose weight following an AHP intervention. There was no evidence identified evaluating how AHPs use routine 'contact points' in the prevention of obesity in young children. AHP interventions could be effective in optimizing weight and nutritional outcomes in young children. However, more research is required to determine how routine AHP contact points, across the range of professional groups may be used in the prevention of obesity in young children.

Allied health professions public health research priorities: A modified e-delphi study in the United Kingdom.

Objectives: This study identifies the United Kingdom (UK) Allied Health Professions (AHP) public health research priorities through a modified e-Delphi study conducted with an expert panel. Study design: A modified e-Delphi study was utilised in this study. Methods: This study used a modified e-Delphi approach to reach a consensus on research priorities. Expert panel members were invited to participate and complete three rounds of the e-Delphi. Ethical approval was obtained through the Public Health England Research and Evidence Governance Group. Results: A total of 38 participants completed three rounds of the e-Delphi study between September and November 2020. Consensus was reached on nine AHP public health research priorities. Conclusion: Several areas of AHP public health research were identified as priority, however, a number of priorities refer to the impact of AHP public health activities as opposed to empirical research. The identified priorities will be used to progress the AHP public health research agenda through a UK wide AHP public health strategy implementation group and through support and engagement from the AHP professional bodies and arm's length bodies.

Developing a framework for estimating the potential impact of obesity interventions in a European city.

Obesity is a global challenge for healthy populations. It has given rise to a wide range of public health interventions, focusing on supportive environments and lifestyle change, including diet, physical activity and behavioural change initiatives. Impact is variable. However, more evidence is slowly becoming available and is being used to develop new interventions. In a period of austerity, momentum is building to review these initiatives and understand what they do, how they do it and how they fit together. Our project seeks to develop a relatively straight forward systematic framework using readily accessible data to map the complex web of initiatives at a policy, population, group and individual level aiming to promote healthy lifestyles, diet and physical activity levels or to reduce obesity through medical treatments in a city or municipality population. It produces a system for classifying different types of interventions into groupings which will enable commissioners to assess the scope and distribution of interventions and make a judgement about gaps in provision and the likely impact on mean body mass index (BMI) as a proxy measure for health. Estimated impact in each level or type of intervention is based upon a summary of the scientific evidence of clinical and/or cost effectiveness. Finally it seeks, where possible, to quantify the potential effects of different types of interventions on BMI and produce a cost per unit of BMI reduced. This approach is less sophisticated but identifies the areas where more sophisticated evaluation would add value.

Predicting psychological needs and well-being of individuals engaging in weight management: the role of important others.

BACKGROUND: Using the self-determination theory (SDT) framework, we examined how significant others might support or thwart psychological needs of people with weight management goals, and in turn might affect their psychological well-being and weight control behaviors. DESIGN: Longitudinal design with three sets of questionnaires administered over a 6-month period. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six eligible participants (age = 31.01 ± 13.21 years) were asked to complete questionnaires of SDT-based constructs, weight management behaviors, and psychological well-being. Hypotheses were tested using Bayesian path analysis. RESULTS: Perceived autonomy support from significant others was related to psychological need satisfaction, while controlling behaviors by others were associated with need thwarting. In turn, need satisfaction was associated with some beneficial outcomes such as life satisfaction, and need thwarting was related to some maladaptive outcomes such as higher levels of depressive symptoms and increases in unhealthy diet behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the quality of interactions between individuals engaged in weight management and their significant others matters in terms of predicting the psychological needs and well-being of the former.