title: Evaluation of treatment effects in obese children with co-morbid medical or psychiatric conditions.
abstract: The need for effective treatments for pediatric overweight is well known. To evaluate the applicability of an evidence-based treatment in an applied clinic setting that includes children with severe obesity and comorbid medical or psychiatric conditions. Forty-eight overweight children and their families were provided an evidence-based intervention at a for-profit clinic. Unlike typical lab-based samples, participants were self-selected and included children who were very overweight and/or had comorbid conditions. Change in standardized BMI was assessed. Overall, participants demonstrated a significant reduction in standardized BMI, t (40)=6.6, p<.001. Further analyses indicated that participants who were severely obese and children with a comorbidity significantly reduced their zBMI (t (11)=4.0, p<.01; t (14)=3.9, p<.01, respectively). Children who were severely obese reduced their BMI percentile by .2 (SD=.2) and those with a comorbidity reduced their BMI percentile by .6 (SD=.9). Nonsignificant interaction effects indicated comparable weight reductions in severely obese and overweight/obese participants, F (1,39) = 1.49, ns. Also, those with comorbidities and those without comorbidities experienced similar weight reductions, F (1,39)=.7, ns. This study provides promising evidence for the applicability of an evidence-based treatment for weight management in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Ginny
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fullerton
authors.forename: Jennette Palcic
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Chermaine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Foreyt
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss