Lifestyle interventions in the treatment of childhood overweight: a meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials.
BACKGROUND
Evaluating the efficacy of pediatric weight loss treatments is critical.


OBJECTIVE
This is the first meta-analysis of the efficacy of RCTs comparing pediatric lifestyle interventions to no-treatment or information/education-only controls.


METHODS
Medline, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register.


METHODS
Fourteen RCTs targetting change in weight status were eligible, yielding 19 effect sizes.


METHODS
Standardized coding was used to extract information on design, participant characteristics, interventions, and results.


RESULTS
For trials with no-treatment controls, the mean effect size was 0.75 (k = 9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.52-0.98) at end of treatment and 0.60 (k = 4, CI = 0.27-0.94) at follow-up. For trials with information/education-only controls, the mean ES was 0.48 (k = 4, CI = 0.13-0.82) at end of treatment and 0.91 (k = 2, CI = 0.32-1.50) at follow-up. No moderator effects were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Lifestyle interventions for pediatric overweight are efficacious in the short term with some evidence for extended persistence. Future research is required to identify moderators and mediators and to determine the optimal length and intensity of treatment required to produce enduring changes in weight status.
Wilfley
Denise E
DE
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, MO 63110, USA. wilfleyd@psychiatry.wustl.edu
Tibbs
Tiffany L
TL
Van Buren
Dorothy J
DJ
Reach
Kelle P
KP
Walker
Mark S
MS
Epstein
Leonard H
LH
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States