An evaluation of a weight-loss program incorporating E-learning for obese junior high school students

Obesity in adolescents is continuing to rise at an alarming rate and is becoming an important public health problem in Taiwan. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of a Weight-loss E-learning Program (WEP) on obese Chinese adolescents and (2) to gauge this group's satisfaction with the WEP. The design was quasi-experimental, using purposive samples from two junior high schools in Taipei, Taiwan. Obese adolescents between 12 and 14 years of age with body mass indexes (BMI) over 25 kg/m2 were recruited. A 14-week WEP was developed to expedite weight loss for the selected adolescents. Data such as BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference, hip circumference, mid-arm circumference, triceps skinfold, blood pressure, and physical fitness were collected through standardized instruments and methods before and after the WEP. The satisfaction of the subjects and four psychosocial variables were evaluated and taken into account by authoritative scales and questionnaires. In total, 37 adolescents participated in this study. After the WEP, we found significant decreases in BMI (p < 0.05), waist circumference (p < 0.05), and triceps skinfold (p < 0.001) in the sample population. Improvements were found in three of four tests of physical fitness (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, and p < 0.01, respectively). All psychosocial variables showed significant favorable changes (p < 0.01 for self-esteem scores, p < 0.001 for the other three variables) and satisfaction levels for the WEP ranged from 56.6% to 83.8% in four different criteria. The WEP was effective in helping obese Chinese adolescents lose weight. However, there is still room for improvement.