Feasibility of a Friendship Network-Based Pediatric Obesity Intervention

There is growing evidence supporting social network-based interventions for adolescents with obesity. This study's aim was to determine the feasibility of a social network-based intervention by assessing adolescents' friendship networks, willingness to involve friends in treatment, and how these factors influence enjoyment.

Adolescents (N = 42) were recruited from a tertiary care obesity clinic. Participants gave a list of closest friends, friendship characteristics, and which of their friends they would involve in treatment. A subset (N = 14) participated in group treatment, were encouraged to bring friends, and invited to a second interview.

Participants nominated a mean of 4.0 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.6) friends and were more likely to nominate closer friends (p = 0.003). Friends who attended group sessions were more likely to have multiple friendships in common with the participant's own network (p = 0.04).

Involving friends in treatment is feasible and desired by adolescents and may be a novel approach for augmenting obesity treatment outcomes.