Using Parks and Recreation Providers to Enhance Obesity Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric obesity treatment
• Community-based health interventions
• Lifestyle modification programs

Background:

• Intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment (IHBLT) is recommended for children and adolescents with obesity.
• The Fit Together program is a novel partnership between healthcare providers and parks and recreation facilities to deliver IHBLT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Fit Together program in treating childhood obesity.
• To assess changes in body mass index relative to the 95th percentile (BMIp95) and submaximal heart rate in response to the intervention.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 255 youths aged 5-17 with obesity.
• Participants were randomized to either the Fit Together intervention (clinical care plus lifestyle sessions) or a waitlist control group.
• Primary outcomes (BMIp95, submaximal heart rate) were measured at baseline and 6 months, with analyses accounting for COVID-19 disruptions.

Main Results:

• Intervention participants not affected by COVID-19 disruptions showed a significant decrease in BMIp95 compared to controls.
• No significant difference in BMIp95 was observed between intervention and control groups affected by COVID-19 disruptions.
• Overall, the Fit Together intervention led to a significant reduction in BMIp95 across the entire cohort.

Conclusions:

• Community-based IHBLT, delivered through partnerships between healthcare and recreation sectors, can be effective for pediatric obesity.
• The Fit Together model demonstrates a viable approach for implementing obesity treatment in local communities.
• Future research should investigate combining this model with emerging obesity treatments.