Youth and Peer Mentor Led Interventions to Improve Biometric-, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Psychosocial-Related Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The utilization of youth (older) and peer (same age) mentor-led interventions to improve nutrition and physical activity has been an emerging trend in recent years. This systematic review is intended to synthesize the effectiveness of these intervention programs on participants and mentors based on biometric, nutrition, physical activity, and psychosocial outcomes of youth and peer mentor-led interventions among children and adolescents. Online databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar, were searched, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. A three-step screening process was used to meet the proposed eligibility criteria, and the risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) was used to assess bias for the included studies. Nineteen unique intervention programs and twenty-five total studies were deemed eligible when considering the criteria required for review. Multiple studies demonstrated positive evidence of the biometric and physical activity outcomes that were considered significant. The findings regarding the nutritional outcomes across the included studies were mixed, as some studies reported significant changes in eating habits while others did not find a significant change. Overall, the utilization of youth and peer mentor-led models in nutrition- and physical-activity-related interventions may be successful in overweight and obesity prevention efforts for those children and adolescents receiving the intervention and the youths and peers leading the interventions. More research is needed to explore the impact on the youths and peers leading the interventions and disseminating more detailed implementation strategies, e.g., training mentors would allow for advancements in the field and the replicability of approaches. Terminology: In the current youth- and peer-led nutrition and physical activity intervention literature, a varying age differential exists between the targeted sample and the peers, and varying terminology with regards to how to name or refer to the youth. In some instances, the youth mentors were individuals of the same grade as the target sample who either volunteered to serve in the peer role or were selected by their fellow students or school staff. In other cases, the youth mentors were slightly older individuals, either in high school or college, who were selected based upon their experience, leadership skills, passion for the project, or demonstration of healthy lifestyle behaviors.