Overweight children and adolescents--is there a subjective need for treatment?

We report on the first months of recruitment for a study to evaluate outpatient training for moderately overweight youths.

Various recruitment strategies were employed, including media exposure, paediatricians, school events, and the distribution of flyers. Roughly 6 160 overweight and 4 720 obese children and adolescents of the target age range were estimated to live in the study area.

Altogether, 172 families enrolled for participation. Only 38 enrolled children (22.1%), however, were overweight and thereby eligible for participation, 132 children (76.7%) were obese and two were normal weight. Most eligible participants were recruited via media or paediatricians.

Reaching overweight, but not obese, children and adolescents for intervention is difficult, where a low recognition of the condition in its less extreme form might be a particular problem.