Reduction of overweight and eating disorder symptoms via the Internet in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
Overweight in adolescence is a significant problem which is associated with body dissatisfaction and eating disorder (ED) behaviors. Cost-effective methods for early intervention of obesity and prevention of ED are important because of the refractory nature of both. This multisite RCT evaluated an Internet-delivered program targeting weight loss and ED attitudes/behaviors in adolescents.


METHODS
A total of 80 overweight adolescents 12-17 years of age completed Student Bodies 2 (SB2), a 16-week cognitive-behavioral program, or usual care (UC).


RESULTS
Body mass index (BMI) z-scores were reduced in the SB2 group compared with the UC group from baseline to post-intervention (p = .027; eta(p)(2) = .08). The SB2 group maintained this reduction in BMI z-scores at 4-month follow-up, but significant differences were not observed because of improvement in the UC group. The SB2 group evidenced greater increases in dietary restraint post-intervention (p = .016) and less improvement on shape concerns at follow-up (p = .044); however these differences were not clinically significant. No other statistically significant differences were noted between groups on ED attitudes or behaviors. The SB2 participants reported using healthy eating-related and physical activity-related skills more frequently than UC participants post-intervention (p = .001) and follow-up (p = .012).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that an Internet-delivered intervention yielded a modest reduction in weight status that continued 4 months after treatment and that ED attitudes/behaviors were not significantly improved. Group differences on weight loss were not sustained at 4-month follow-up because of parallel improvements in the groups. Future studies are needed to improve program adherence and to further explore the efficacy of Internet-delivery of weight control programs for adolescents.
Doyle
Angela Celio
AC
Department of Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. acdoyle@uchicago.edu
Goldschmidt
Andrea
A
Huang
Christina
C
Winzelberg
Andrew J
AJ
Taylor
C Barr
CB
Wilfley
Denise E
DE
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008923:Missouri; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*