Table 1

Summary of previously published reviews on PA promotion in children with a focus on family- and community-based interventions (presented in chronological order)

ReferenceReview typeSearch (databases and period)Main inclusion criteriaExclusion criteriaNumber and references of studies included *†
Salmon et al 20078Narrative reviewMedline and Premedline; Sportsdiscus; PsychInfo; Psyc-ARTICLES; Cochrane; CINAHL; ScienceDirect; Web of Knowledge; Social SciSearch; all Ovid databases (January 1985 to June 2006)(1) Children (4–12 years) or adolescents (13–19 years); (2) report of PA outcomes (studies that only reported on fitness outcomes were excluded); (3) sample size of more than 16; and (4) RCT, group randomised trial, or quasi-experimental study design.Studies only reporting fitness or health outcomes; overweight or obesity treatment studies; studies of clinical populations.Family setting: nine studies (eight children).12–16 17 19 23 28 29
Community setting: three studies (all children).25 30 31
Van Sluijs et al 20079Systematic review, assessing methodological quality. Conclusions drawn using levels of evidence.Pubmed, Psychlit, SCOPUS, Ovid Medline, Sportdiscus and Embase (inception to December 2006)(1) Children (<12 years) or adolescents (≥12 years); (2) main intervention component or one of the components was aimed at promotion of PA through behaviour change; (3) inclusion of a non-PA intervention for the control group; and (4) reported statistical analyses of a PA outcome measure.Interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behaviour or structured exercise programs; studies of populations selected on basis of specific disease or health problem.Family setting: five studies (four children).13 15 17 18 20
Community setting: three studies (two children).14 26 27
NICE 200910Systematic review, assessing methodological quality. Narrative account of studies and results.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, HMIC, Sportsdiscus, ASSIA, SIGLE, Current Contents, ERIC, TRANSPORT, Environline, EPPI Centre Databases, NRR (inception to August 2007)(1) Intervention study; (2) age group studied aged ≤18 years; (3) based in a family or community setting; and (4) outcome reported on PA behaviour or core physical skills.Main focus on treating obesity; studies from less economically developed countries or primarily investigating ethnic groups that do not have large populations in England; interventions primarily based within the school curriculum; environmental interventions (covered in previous NICE guidance); study included within one of the other four reviews in the series (eg, adolescent girls).Family setting: 11 studies (eight children).13–16 18 19 21–24 32 33
Community setting: two studies (adolescents).27 34

  • ↵* Other categories reported but excluded for this review: Salmon et al 2007: school (including subcategories), primary care; van Sluijs et al 2007: school, school plus community or family, primary care; NICE 2009: primary care, out of school hours clubs, schools and family.

  • ↵† References presented in bold were presented as effective in increasing young people's PA.

  • NICE, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; PA, physical activity; RCT, randomised controlled trial.