Treating childhood obesity: family background variables and the child's success in a weight-control intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze whether caregiver and family characteristics predict success in a family-based lifestyle intervention program for children and adolescents.


METHODS
Participants were 111 overweight and obese children (7-15 years) who attended a family-based weight-reduction program. Body mass index (BMI) and BMI standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) of index child, and BMI of family members, family adversity characteristics, depression, and attachment attitudes of the primary caregiver were assessed.


RESULTS
Risk of nonresponse (<or=5% reduction of BMI-SDS or dropout) was elevated in older children, cases with obese sibling(s), maternal depression, and avoidant attachment attitude. In a logistic regression analysis, maternal depression, attachment attitude, and age of index child explained common variance whereas the presence of obese siblings explained unique variance in nonresponding.


CONCLUSIONS
To meet the specific needs of all participating families and to prevent the discouraging experience of failure in weight-control interventions, our data suggest that special support should be provided to adolescents with obese siblings, and cases of maternal depression, and avoidant attachment attitude.
Pott
Wilfried
W
Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, Red Cross Children's Hospital Siegen, Siegen, Germany.
Albayrak
Ozgür
O
Hebebrand
Johannes
J
Pauli-Pott
Ursula
U
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D015431:Weight Loss