Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
Pediatrician-led motivational interviewing to treat overweight children: an RCT
Anna Maria Davoli1, Serena Broccoli, Laura Bonvicini
1Epidemiology Unit, Local Health Authority of Reggio Emilia, via Amendola 2, Reggio Emilia, Italy. serena.broccoli@ausl.re.it.
Insights
Pediatrician-led motivational interviews (MIs) helped control BMI in overweight children aged 4-7. While effective overall, MI showed no impact on boys or children with low maternal education.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
- Early intervention is crucial for managing overweight and obesity in children.
- Motivational interviewing (MI) is a promising behavioral counseling approach.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of family pediatrician-led motivational interviews (MIs) in managing Body Mass Index (BMI) for overweight children aged 4 to 7 years.
- To evaluate the impact of MI on lifestyle behaviors in addition to BMI.
- To identify potential moderators of MI effectiveness, such as child's sex and maternal education level.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 372 overweight children (aged 4-7) in Italy.
- Children were assigned to either pediatrician-led MI (5 sessions) or usual care.
- Primary outcome was change in BMI over 12 months; lifestyle behaviors were also assessed.
Main Results:
- The MI group showed a smaller increase in BMI compared to the control group (0.49 vs 0.79, P = .007).
- Positive lifestyle behavior changes were more frequent in the MI group.
- MI effectiveness was not observed in boys or children of mothers with low educational attainment.
Conclusions:
- Pediatrician-delivered MI is an effective strategy for controlling BMI in overweight preschool and early school-aged children.
- The intervention shows promise for improving lifestyle behaviors associated with weight management.
- Further research is needed to optimize MI for subgroups where effectiveness was limited, such as boys and children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of family pediatrician-led motivational interviews (MIs) on BMI of overweight (85th ≥ BMI percentile ≥ 95 th) children aged 4 to 7 years.
Methods:
All the family pediatricians working in Reggio Emilia Province (Italy) were invited to participate in the study; 95% accepted. Specific training was provided. Parents were asked to participate in the trial if they recognized their child as overweight. Children were individually randomly assigned to MIs or usual care. All children were invited for a baseline and a 12-month visit to assess BMI and lifestyle behaviors. The usual care group received an information leaflet, and the intervention group received 5 MI family meetings. The primary outcome was the individual variation of BMI, assessed by pediatricians unblinded to treatment groups.
Results:
Of 419 eligible families, 372 (89%) participated; 187 children were randomized to MIs and 185 to the usual care group. Ninety-five percent of the children attended the 12-month visit. The average BMI increased by 0.49 and 0.79 during the intervention in the MI and control groups, respectively (difference: -0.30; P = .007). MI had no effect in boys or in children whose mothers had a low educational level. Positive changes in parent-reported lifestyle behaviors occurred more frequently in the MI group than in the control group.
Conclusions:
The pediatrician-led MI was overall effective in controlling BMI in these overweight children aged 4 to 7 years, even though no effect was observed in male children or when the mother's education level was low.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
01:18Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...