Conceptualisation and evaluation of a cognitive-behavioural training programme for children and adolescents with obesity.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is common in children and adolescents with incidence rates increasing both nationally and internationally. Its causes are complex and multifaceted, and obesity is associated with high morbidity and mortality as well as psychological distress. Multidimensional programmes are necessary in the treatment of this chronic disease in order to change eating and physical activity habits. A cognitive-behavioural training programme was developed and evaluated. In combination with diet and exercise, this special group programme that includes well established behavioural methods, was expected to result in long-term weight reduction and decrease of psychological distress in connection with obesity.


METHODS
As part of the six week in-patient rehabilitation for children and adolescents at Viktoriastift in Bad Kreuznach, the three-part programme (experimental group, EG) was compared with a programme that differed only in the psychological intervention component (instead of the specific training programme they undertook muscle relaxation training, comparison group, CG).


METHODS
In total, 197 children and adolescents between 9 and 19 y-of-age were recruited into the study.


METHODS
Somatic (eg weight status), behavioural (eg eating behaviour) and psychological (eg quality of life) outcomes were assessed at five points in time: two weeks before the intervention, at the beginning and end of the programme, as well as six months and one year post-intervention. The study started in spring 1997. Main outcomes will be presented.


RESULTS
Pre- vs post-intervention-tests showed significant improvements in self-reported eating behaviours for the EG compared with the CG (F=6.38, P<0.05); these changes were independent of age and sex. The weight status measured as the percentage of overweight dependent on height was reduced in both groups immediately after the intervention and at follow-up (F=16.51, P<0.01). Reduction in the prevalence of obesity tended to be higher in the EG than in the CG (15% vs 10%). Self-reported quality of life increased from before the intervention to follow-up more in the EG than in the CG (F=3.27, P=0.08). In all, the acceptance of the behavioural patient education programme was good.


CONCLUSIONS
In summary, evaluation results indicate that the cognitive-behavioural training programme is a promising approach to alter obesity-related habits and to reduce somatic and psychosocial consequences. Long-term effects after two years are expected to underscore these results.
Warschburger
P
P
Centre for Rehabilitation Research, University of Bremen, Grazerstrasse 6, 28359 Bremen, Germany. warschb@uni-bremen.de
Fromme
C
C
Petermann
F
F
Wojtalla
N
N
Oepen
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000523:psychology