[Ambulant training programs for obese children. Criterions of comparison for the development of valid therapy...

Valid knowledge concerning structure and contents of an ambulant training program for obese children and adolescents suggested by experts is still missing. In 1999/2000, we assessed a survey based on defined criterions in the "Arbeitsgemeinschaft für pädiatrische Diäthetik (APD)" and investigated the literature to cover and to compare based on defined criterions the spectrum of ambulant treatment models in Germany to advance guidelines for therapy in obese children. 13 ambulant training programs were detected. Training of children aged 8 to 12 years and their parents based on diet, behavioural treatment and sports therapy over couple of months without great experiences and without complete financing by health insurance were in common. Time volume of the training programs widely varies. In the seven evaluated training programs, up to one third of the patients broke off, while more than two third of the children successfully finished the training programs. The comparison of the programs failed on missing data concerning the collective, missing or different evaluation criteria, sometimes low number of patients and not standardised calculation of overweight. The survey reflects the often low experiences and the heterogeneous, insufficient evaluation of ambulant treatment models in Germany and demonstrates the great requirement of research. The schedule of criterions facilitates the comparison of programs to develop valid ambulant training programs for obese children.