title: Examining the effect of three low-intensity pediatric obesity interventions: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary care is an ideal setting to treat pediatric obesity. Effective, low-intensity (≤25 contact hours over 6 months) interventions that reduce standardized body mass index (z-BMI) and can be delivered by primary care providers are needed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This pilot randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of 3 low-intensity (≤25 contact hours over 6 months) pediatric obesity treatments on z-BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two families (children 8.0 ± 1.8 years, z-BMI of 2.34 ± 0.48) were randomized into 1 of 3, 6-month, low-intensity conditions: newsletter (N), newsletter and growth monitoring (N + GM), or newsletter and growth monitoring plus family-based behavioral counseling (N + GM + BC). Anthropometrics and child eating and leisure-time behaviors were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mixed-factor analyses of variance found a significant (P < .05) main effect of time for z-BMI and servings per day of sugar sweetened beverages, with both decreasing over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-intensity obesity treatments can reduce z-BMI and may be more feasible in primary care.
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA shannon.looney@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Shannon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Looney
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Hollie A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Raynor
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D037001:Directive Counseling; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care
keywords: low-intensity obesity treatment; pediatric obesity; primary care