Reasons for non-adherence to obesity treatment in children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the reasons for non-adherence to follow-up at a specialized outpatient clinic for obese children and adolescents. METHODS: Descriptive study of 41 patients, including information from medical records and phone recorded questionnaires which included two open questions and eight closed ones: reason for abandonment, financial and structural difficulties (distance and transport costs), relationship with professionals, obesity evolution, treatment continuity, knowledge of difficulties and obesity complications. RESULTS: Among the interviewees, 29.3% reported that adherence to the program spent too much time and it was difficult to adjust consultations to patientsâ€(tm) and parentsâ€(tm) schedules. Other reasons were: childrenâ€(tm)s refusal to follow treatment (29.3%), dissatisfaction with the result (17.0%), treatment in another health service (12.2%), difficulty in schedule return (7.3%) and delay in attendance (4.9%). All denied any relationship problems with professionals. Among the respondents, 85.4% said they are still overweight. They reported hurdles to appropriate nutrition and physical activity (financial difficulty, lack of parentsâ€(tm) time, physical limitation and insecure neighborhood). Among the 33 respondents that reported difficulties with obesity, 78.8% had emotional disorders such as bullying, anxiety and irritability; 24.2% presented fatigue, 15.1% had difficulty in dressing up and 15.1% referred pain. The knowledge of the following complications prevailed: cardicac (97.6%), aesthetic (90.2%), psychological (90.2%), presence of obesity in adulthood (90.2%), diabetes (85.4%) and cancer (31.4%). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results, it is possible to create weight control public programs that are easier to access, encouraging appropriate nutrition and physical activities in order to achieve obesity prevention.