Inpatient treatment for children with obesity: weight loss, psychological well-being, and eating behavior.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluated the effects of a 10-month inpatient treatment program and implemented as a nondiet healthy lifestyle approach. In addition, the effects of two extended treatment programs were compared to a standard cognitive-behavioral treatment program for maintenance of the treatment gains.


METHODS
A within-subjects design was employed to evaluate treatment outcome, including a 14-month follow-up. Children (N = 122) ranged in age from 7 to 17 years (M = 12.7 years) with a mean Body Mass Index (BMI) of 32.5, expressed as a percentage of overweight (M = 77.4%).


RESULTS
The children lost 49.0% of their weight during the course of treatment. Comparing baseline with the 14-month follow-up, a weight loss of 31.7% was maintained. The children continued to show healthy eating behavior at follow-up, and their psychological well-being had improved. No significant interaction effects were found for the extended coping programs.


CONCLUSIONS
An inpatient cognitive-behavioral nondiet approach is a promising treatment option for childhood obesity, with lasting effects throughout the 14-month posttreatment.
Braet
Caroline
C
Ghent University, Belgium. Caroline.Braet@ugent.be.
Tanghe
Ann
A
Decaluwé
Veerle
V
Moens
Ellen
E
Rosseel
Yves
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss