title: Treating childhood obesity in primary care.
abstract: The objective of this prospective, cohort study was to assess an intervention for obese children (9-12 years of age) and their families delivered in primary care. A family-based, behavioral weight management program consisted of 11 sessions. The treatment consisted of a calorie goal, self-monitoring of daily food intake, physical activity and sedentary behavior, and other behavior change skills. A total of 78 children and families entered treatment; 23 children served as quasi-controls. The mean weight loss at 15 weeks among 55 children (71%) who completed the program was 2.4 lbs (SD = 5.24, range of -16.7 to +8.4 lbs) compared with a mean weight gain of 3.45 lbs (SD = 4.31, range of -5.0 to +12.0 lbs) among 23 control children. The mean change in body mass index z score from baseline to month 24 was -0.17 ± 0.32 (P < .001). Primary care is an appropriate place to identify and treat children with obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53792, USA. erwald@pediatrics.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Ellen R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Wald
authors.forename: Stacey C L
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Moyer
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eickhoff
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Ewing
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss