Family-based behavioural intervention programme for obese children: a feasibility study

OBJECTIVES: To assess a 2-year family-based behavioural intervention programme against child obesity. DESIGN: Single-group pre- and post-intervention feasibility study. SETTING: Swedish paediatric outpatient care. PARTICIPANTS: 26 obese children aged 8.3–12.0 years and their parents who had consented to actively participate in a 2-year intervention. INTERVENTIONS: 25 paediatric outpatient group sessions over a 2-year period with parallel groups for children and parents. The basis for the programme was a manual containing instructions for tutor-supervised group sessions with obese children and their parents. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was change in standardised body mass index between baseline and after 36 months. The secondary outcome measures were change in the waist:height ratio, metabolic parameters and programme adherence. The participants were examined at baseline and after 3, 12 and 24 months of therapy and at follow-up 12 months after completion of the programme. RESULTS: The primary outcome measure, standardised body mass index, declined from a mean of 3.3 (0.7 SD) at baseline to 2.9 (0.7 SD) (p<0.001) at follow-up 12 months after completion of the programme. There was no change in the waist:height ratio. Biomedical markers of blood glucose metabolism and lipid status remained in the normal range. 96% of the families completed the programme. CONCLUSIONS: This feasibility study of a 2-year family-based behavioural intervention programme in paediatric outpatient care showed promising results with regard to further weight gain and programme adherence. These findings must be confirmed in a randomised controlled trial with longer follow-up before the intervention programme can be implemented on a larger scale.