Family therapy to treat childhood obesity
Short- and long-term benefits were reported by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in Pennsylvania.
First, the details.
- 192 children (average BMI percentile for age and gender of 99) and their families were assigned randomly to treatment.
- Special intervention
- Usual care
- Special intervention included of 20 1-hour group meetings from month 0 to 6.
- Adult and child groups met separately and were given complementary material.
- After being weighed the adult and child met with a lifestyle coach to review records and set weekly goals.
- 6 booster sessions were provided between month 6 and 12, but no contact between the 12- and 18-month assessments.
And, the results.
- Children in the intervention group had significant decreases in their percentage of overweight (-8%), relative to usual care (-1%), at 6 months.
- No differences at 12 or 18 months.
- Children in the intervention group who attended at least 75% of sessions maintained their improvement over 18 months.
- Lower percent overweight at the start of the study, better attendance, higher income, and greater parent BMI reduction were associated with significantly greater improvement at 6 months among those in the intervention group.
The bottom line?
The authors concluded the intervention program showed benefit at 6 months. Children who attended at least 75% of the sessions had longer-term benefits in weight reduction.
Maintenance of weight losses among severely obese children may be difficult. “There is a compelling need to develop chronic care models for this high-risk population,†concluded the authors.
10/14/09 22:05 JR
