We are excited to announce publication in Pediatric Obesity of the Prospective Meta-Analysis (EPOCH-PMA), combining individual participant data from four early childhood obesity prevention trials conducted by the EPOCH Collaboration. This study is internationally unique and represents the foundational work of the EPOCH collaboration. Read more
Led by Professor Lisa Askie, a world leader in prospective meta-analysis, the Stream 1 team brings together four high quality randomised trials on early childhood obesity prevention in Australia and New Zealand. The study included over 2000 children, and prospectively analysed the intervention impact on children’s BMI trajectories at 18 and 24 months, as well as on their eating and physical activity habits.
The study provides the highest level of evidence supporting the effectiveness of parents-focused intervention in the first 1000 days in improving early childhood obesity. This is significant as the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children under 5 is increasing globally with debilitating long term health and economic impacts.
The EPOCH Collaboration team plans to investigate further if the effects of these early interventions are sustained to the preschool years and also look at the best ways to implement these interventions at scale.
