Waist circumference as a parameter in school-based interventions to prevent overweight and obesity - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Preventing childhood obesity remains an important public health issue worldwide. Since visceral fat in particular is understood as an important risk factor for many chronic diseases, waist circumference is recommended as a measurement parameter for global obesity surveillance. This systematic review and meta-analysis focused on waist circumference as an outcome parameter for studies of school-based interventions to prevent overweight and obesity.