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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 May;131(5):e1435-42.
doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-2204. Epub 2013 Apr 1.

Guided self-help for the treatment of pediatric obesity

Kerri N Boutelle  1 , Gregory J Norman, Cheryl L Rock, Kyung E Rhee, Scott J Crow
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Guided self-help for the treatment of pediatric obesity

Kerri N Boutelle et al. Pediatrics. 2013 May.

Abstract

Background and objective: Clinic-based programs for childhood obesity are not available to a large proportion of the population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a guided self-help treatment of pediatric obesity (GSH-PO) compared with a delayed treatment control and to evaluate the impact of GSH-PO 6-months posttreatment.

Methods: Fifty overweight or obese 8- to 12-year-old children and their parents were randomly assigned to immediate treatment or to delayed treatment. The GSH-PO includes 12 visits over 5 months and addresses key components included in more intensive clinic-based programs. Children and parents in the immediate treatment arm were assessed at time 1 (T1), participated in GSH-PO between T1 and T2, and completed their 6-month posttreatment assessment at T3. Children and parents in the delayed treatment arm were assessed at T1, participated in GSH-PO between T2 and T3, and completed their 6-month posttreatment assessment at T4. The main outcome measures were BMI, BMI z score, and percentage overweight (%OW).

Results: Children in the immediate treatment GSH-PO arm decreased their BMI significantly more than did the delayed treatment arm (BMI group × time = -1.39; P < .001). Similar results were found for BMI z score and %OW. At the 6-month posttreatment assessment, changes resulting from GSH-PO were maintained for BMI z score and %OW but not BMI (BMI time effect = -0.06, not significant; BMI z score time effect = -0.10, P < .001; %OW time effect = -4.86, P < .05).

Conclusions: The GSH-PO showed initial efficacy in decreasing BMI for children in this study. Additional efficacy and translational studies are needed to additionally evaluate GSH-PO.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01145833.

Keywords: childhood; guided self-help; obesity; treatment.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Study enrollment and retention.
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