Patient characteristics as predictors of weight loss after an obesity treatment for children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine pretreatment patient characteristics as predictors of treatment outcome 2 years after completion of an inpatient treatment for children with obesity.


METHODS
Children (N = 122) ranging in age from 7 to 17 years [mean, 12.7 +/- 2.3 (SD) years] with a mean adjusted BMI of 179.5 +/- 28.6% participated in an inpatient obesity treatment program. Children (90.2% response rate) participated in the 2-year follow-up. Eight predictors, administered at baseline, were entered in separate regression analyses, with weight loss and changes on three psychological health measures as the outcome measures.


RESULTS
Analyses revealed that baseline degree of overweight, age, and initial weight loss were significant positive predictors of weight loss 2 years after treatment, whereas eating disorder characteristics were a negative predictor. Sex, socioeconomic status, global self-esteem, and symptoms of psychopathology did not predict weight loss. With regard to the psychological outcome measures, baseline symptomatology emerged as the most important predictor of treatment changes.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-lasting weight loss is associated with severity of pretreatment characteristics. Identification of the clinical markers for long-term response to treatment is useful to set realistic weight loss goals for clients and to tailor treatment programs to patient characteristics.
Braet
Caroline
C
Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, H. Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. caroline.braet@ugent.be
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss