Efficacy of a cognitive and behavioral treatment for childhood obesity supported by the ETIOBE web platform

Abstract

Recently, the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased alarmingly. Interventions combining eating habits, physical activity (PA), behavioral components, and family support have been shown to be effective, although variables such as self-efficacy beliefs and motivation seem to be important in achieving stable changes. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can provide additional resources to traditional treatments. The objective is to analyze the efficacy of two treatments: a cognitive and behavioral treatment (CBT) focused on the promotion of healthy eating and PA habits, and this CBT intervention supported by a web platform (ETIOBE). Forty-seven obese children were randomized to these two conditions. Anthropometrical measures were evaluated before and after treatment and at follow-up. Self-efficacy and motivation questionnaires were filled out in the first and last intervention sessions. Mixed ANOVAs were performed for all variables. Simple mediation analyses were conducted to test whether the effect of condition on the post-intervention anthropometrical variable scores were mediated by self-efficacy. Results revealed that both treatments produced an improvement in the anthropometrical variables. CBT-E participants showed more PA self-efficacy as the treatment progressed and lower BMIz, lower fat mass, and higher lean mass. These results suggest that ICT help to improve the effects of childhood obesity interventions.

Keywords: Childhood obesity; Internet; cognitive and behavioral treatment; information and communication technologies; web-supported interventions.