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Importance of early weight change in a pediatric weight management trial

Andrea B Goldschmidt1, Richard I Stein, Brian E Saelens

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Pediatrics
|June 22, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Early weight changes in children predict long-term success in weight loss programs. Promoting early weight reduction in kids and parents is key for better treatment outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric obesity research
  • Behavioral health interventions
  • Weight management studies

Background:

  • Early weight change is a known predictor of treatment success in adults.
  • This factor has been less explored in pediatric weight control trials.
  • Understanding early indicators can optimize interventions for children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the significance of early weight change in a pediatric weight control trial.
  • To determine if initial weight reduction predicts long-term treatment response in children.
  • To identify factors associated with early weight changes in overweight youth.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 204 overweight children (7-12 years).
  • Participants underwent 20 weeks of family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) followed by maintenance.
  • Hierarchical regression analyzed the relationship between early weight change (sessions 4, 6, 8) and BMI z-score reduction at follow-up.

Main Results:

  • Children's percentage weight change by FBT session 8 was the strongest predictor of BMI z-score reduction.
  • Early weight change in children correlated with better FBT attendance.
  • Children's early weight change was associated with greater parental weight change at session 8.

Conclusions:

  • Early weight changes in children appear crucial for sustained treatment response.
  • Findings suggest early weight modification is linked to outcomes through 2-year follow-up.
  • Future research should focus on strategies to enhance early weight changes in children and parents.
Abstract

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