The school is a favorable environment for the development of interventions to prevent obesity. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the effects of school-based food and nutrition education interventions on adolescent food consumption. The literature search was conducted on databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, ERIC, Science Direct, Web of Science, Cochrane, LILACS, and ADOLEC. The following research strategies were focused on: population (adolescents), intervention (food and nutrition education), outcome (food consumption), and study design (clinical trial). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement guidelines were followed and all stages of this review were performed by two researchers and, when necessary, a third researcher resolved discrepancies. Included studies are randomized clinical trials (RCT). A total of 24 articles were included for review and 11 articles in meta-analysis. In the evaluation of the general effects, there was a significant effect (mean difference (MD) for fruit consumption (MD = 0.09, CI 0.05, 0.14) in serving/day; and for vegetables (MD = 0.59, IC 0.15, 1.03) at times/week. In the consumption of FV (fruits and vegetables), there was no significant effect (standardized mean difference (SMD) of interventions in their consumption (SMD = 0.00, 95% C1 −0.11, 0.11). The evidence available in this review and meta-analysis concludes that food and nutrition education interventions in schools presented favorable results in the food consumption of adolescents. Registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42019116520).

The aim of this study was to analyze the evidence available in the literature about the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in adolescents. The literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SportDiscus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and CINAHL. Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled trials performed with adolescents (10–19 years) who underwent different exercise programs and who evaluated BDNF levels before and after the intervention were included. We included six studies, four RCTs and two non-RCTs in the systematic review with a total of 407 adolescents. In two randomized trials and one non-RCT, the intervention groups showed significant improvements in BDNF levels compared with the control group. The results presented in the meta-analysis indicate that despite the positive effect in favor of the intervention, there were no significant differences (standardized mean difference 0.28 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval −0.28 to 0.85; p = 0.32, I² = 0%). The results presented in our review indicate that aerobic exercise programs practiced in moderate- or high-intensity are promising strategies to increase BDNF levels in adolescents. However, further studies are required to support this finding.

Backoground: Evidence available in the literature suggests that physical exercise increases the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in humans and may possibly be related to improvements in executive function. However, studies of this phenomenon in adolescents are still scarce. The objective of this work is to describe the protocol for a systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis of interventional studies aiming to determine the effect of physical exercise on BDNF levels and executive function in adolescents. Methods: This protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) and by the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The databases to be searched are PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and CINAHL. Interventional studies conducted on adolescents with different exercise protocols and evaluations of BDNF levels and executive function in pre- and post-intervention periods will be included in the systematic review. The characteristics of the studies, participants, and main results will be described, then the evaluation of the risk of biases and the level of evidence obtained by the protocol will be assessed. The selection of studies, data extraction, and evaluation of the methodological quality will be performed by 2 experienced reviewers independently. Conclusion: The systematic review will present the effects of the practice of physical exercises on the BDNF and executive function levels. The results will strengthen the interventions with the focus on the brain health of adolescents through general orientations and the evidences described shall direct future research. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018110683

Background: Patient-centered care should be the focus of health services, where improvements in the communication skills of health professionals promote excellent health and quality care. Thus, this study is a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs in communication skills to promote self-efficacy in the communication of health personnel. Methods: This systematic review protocol is conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) statement guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The review should include studies carried out with health professionals who have undergone training in communication skills aimed at promoting their self-efficacy. Clinical trials (randomized, non-randomized), community trials, and quasi-experimental studies should be included. Therefore, the comprehensive search strategy will be conducted in the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Science Direct, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Two independent reviewers will conduct all study selection procedures, data extraction, and methodological evaluation, and disagreements will be referred to a third reviewer. RevMan 5.3 software will be used to gather data and perform the meta-analysis if possible. Results: This systematic review will provide evidence on more effective programs for communication skills training and will consider information such as duration, educational strategies, assessment measures, and outcomes that promote health worker self-efficacy. Discussion: This systematic review should provide evidence for effective communication skills training for health professionals in order to guide new strategies for quality care. Dissemination and ethics: The findings of this scoping review will be disseminated in print, at conferences, or via peer-reviewed journals. Ethical approval is not necessary as this paper does not involve patient data. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42019129384.

Background: There is evidence in the literature suggesting that high time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) can reduce the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels, an important neurotrophin that plays a role in modulating cognition, learning and memory. Children and adolescents usually spend many hours a day on SB, either sitting for a long time and/or using screen equipment. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol on the associations between SB and BDNF levels in children and adolescents. Methods: This protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols and was published in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews database (PROSPERO: CRD42023392246). The databases that will be searched are EMBASE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and PubMed. Cross-sectional and cohort studies conducted with children and adolescents (5 to 19 yr) that analyzed the association between SB and BDNF will be included in the systematic review. The characteristics of the studies, methodological aspects, and main results will be described. Then, the risk of bias (assessed by STROBE and Newcastle-Ottawa scales) and the level of evidence (assessed by the GRADE tool) from included studies will be evaluated. Sub-group analysis will also be performed. Two experienced reviewers will perform the studies selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis will analyze the association between SB and BDNF in children and adolescents. The results will provide subsidies to better understand this relationship and will strengthen evidence-based practice for both health professionals and future researches.

Background: The pandemic following the rapid spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus has hit all continents and caused thousands of deaths worldwide. Evidence has been published on epidemiological and clinical characteristics of population groups considered at risk; however, information for the other population groups, especially for the child population, is needed. In this context, this protocol describes a systematic review that will aim to identify the evidence on control and prevention of COVID-19 transmission among children and adolescents, as well as to describe the epidemiological profile and clinical and immunological characteristics of COVID-19 in this population. Methods: This protocol will be developed in accordance with PRISMA-P. The searches will be conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, and Scopus, seeking clinical trials. Observational studies and case reports with Children and adolescents (≤19 years) infected with SARS-CoV-2 will be included whether they report information on the control of prevention and COVID-19 transmission. Two independent researchers will perform the selection of articles, removal of duplication, and screening by Rayyan QCRI application. Cochrane's RoB 2.0, ROBINS-I, and CASP tools will be used to assess the risk of bias. Meta-analysis, subgroup analyses, and/or descriptive analyses will be carried out based on the data conditions included. Results: A high-quality synthesis of the available evidences on the epidemiological profile, the clinical and immunological characteristics involved in children, and adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as the participation of this population in the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 will be provided. Conclusion: This systematic review has an important relevance in the current context because it has a great potential to help the development of new control and prevention strategies in the pediatric population. Record of systematic review: CRD42020179263.