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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 Aug;38(7):766-74.
doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jst024. Epub 2013 Apr 28.

The association between weight loss in caregivers and adolescents in a treatment trial of adolescents with obesity

Melissa S Xanthopoulos  1 , Reneé H Moore, Thomas A Wadden, Chanelle T Bishop-Gilyard, Christine A Gehrman, Robert I Berkowitz
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The association between weight loss in caregivers and adolescents in a treatment trial of adolescents with obesity

Melissa S Xanthopoulos et al. J Pediatr Psychol. 2013 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: The relationship between weight change in caregivers and their adolescents was evaluated following a randomized trial of lifestyle modification for adolescents, which included either a conventional diet or meal replacements.

Methods: Adolescents (N = 113) had an M ± SD age of 15.0 ± 1.3 years (62% African American; 26% Caucasian, 12% other; 81% female) and body mass index of 37.1 ± 5.1 kg/m(2).

Results: Mixed effects models yielded a significant association between percentage change in body mass index of caregivers and adolescents from baseline to months 4 and 12 (p = .01). When caregivers lost above the median (-1.67%) at month 4, their adolescents achieved a significantly greater loss at month 12 (-9.1 ± 1.3%) compared with adolescents whose caregivers lost less than the median (-4.3 ± 1.3%) (p = .003).

Conclusion: Engaging caregivers in their own weight loss efforts during adolescent weight loss treatment may improve adolescent weight loss.

Keywords: adolescent; behavioral intervention; caregiver; weight loss.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Percentage change in adolescents’ BMI when caregivers lost less than or more than the median at months 4 and 12. *p = .001.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Percentage change in adolescents’ BMI at month 12 when caregivers lost less than or more than the median at month 4. *p = .003.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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