A cost-analysis of adopting a healthful diet in a family-based obesity treatment program.
OBJECTIVE
To assess dietary costs during a family-based pediatric obesity intervention.


METHODS
Families were randomized to one of two groups. Dietary and cost data were collected from a parent or child using three 24-hour recalls: at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.


METHODS
Thirty-one families with an obese 8- to 12-year-old child entered treatment, with complete dietary data provided from 20 families.


METHODS
The 20-week behavior modification intervention emphasized increasing diet nutrient-density. Families attended group and individual sessions or group sessions.


METHODS
Energy intake; percent of energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrate; servings and percent servings from food groups classified by nutrient density; and daily food costs.


METHODS
Mixed analyses of variance, with group as the between-subject factor, and time as the within-subject factor.


RESULTS
No significant effect of group was found in any analyses. Significant decreases in percent overweight were observed at 6 and 12 months for children (-10.0+/-8.7 and -8.0+/-10.3, respectively) (mean+/-standard deviation) and parents (-6.7+/-10.3 and -5.3+/-14.1). Energy intake for parents and children combined significantly decreased from baseline (1,881+/-462) to 6 months (1,412+/-284), and 1 year (1,338+/-444). Servings from low-nutrient-dense foods significantly decreased from baseline (34.7+/-16.2) to 6 months (16.0+/-8.6) and 1 year (18.6+/-9.2), causing a significant increase in diet nutrient density. Dietary cost did not change at 6 months, but significantly decreased from baseline to 1 year ($6.77+/-2.41 to $5.04+/-1.80). Cost per 1,000 kcal did not significantly change.


CONCLUSIONS
Adopting a lower-energy, nutrient-dense diet did not increase dietary costs over time. Consequently, cost should not be a barrier in the adoption of a healthful diet.
Raynor
Hollie A
HA
State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
Kilanowski
Colleen K
CK
Esterlis
Irina
I
Epstein
Leonard H
LH
D000886:Anthropometry; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics*; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058870:Food, Organic / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016896:Treatment Outcome