Effectiveness of interventions to reduce BMI in schoolchildren in the Americas: A systematic review

Abstract

Abstract: (1) Background: The increase in overweight and obesity among school-aged children in the Americas continues to rise despite the multiple interventions that have been implemented. Therefore, the objective is to characterize health education interventions aimed at reducing Body Mass Index (BMI) in schoolchildren through a systematic review of scientific literature. (2) Methods: Systematic review in accordance with the elements and criteria of the PRISMA 2020 guideline, of articles published between 2015 and 2025 in Medline/PubMed, BVS, and SciELO. The clinical question was established using the PICO structure: How effective are health education interventions in reducing BMI in schoolchildren in the Americas? (3) Results: A total of 12 articles were included in the review. The interventions were mainly multicomponent, focusing on physical activity, nutritional status, and lifestyles, with an emphasis on developing healthy school environments and with diverse results in Body Mass Index. (4) Conclusions: The findings indicate that interventions to reduce BMI in childhood need to be adapted to the sociocultural context and involve the family environment and community support networks to improve their impact on body weight control. Comprehensive health education interventions focusing on physical activity and healthy eating in school-age children provide support for a healthier body composition profile amid the current global health crisis.