Family-based weight loss treatment (FBT) for childhood obesity, the current “gold standard,” is typically provided in weekly groups for 6 months. Although this program is considered effective, it poses limitations to treatment engagement, due to time commitment and lack of widespread availability. A guided self-help version of FBT (gshFBT; eleven 20-minute sessions and one 1-hour over 5 months) was developed to circumvent such limitations. The current study examined the comparative efficacy of a 5-month FBT and gshFBT program.
Methods:
Participants included 50 parent–child dyads enrolled in FBT between 2011 and 2013 and 50 parent–child dyads enrolled in gshFBT between 2009 and 2010. Data were collected at baseline, posttreatment, and 6-month follow-up. Noninferiority analyses were conducted to assess comparative efficacy of changes in parent and child weight status, child nutrition, child physical activity, and drop-out.
Results:
Results indicated that gshFBT was noninferior to FBT in changes in child BMI z-score, overweight parent BMI, child nutritional intake, child vigorous physical activity, and drop-out. Results did not support noninferiority for changes in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Conclusions:
gshFBT is less intensive, more flexible, and may be similarly effective to FBT and could reach a greater proportion of the pediatric overweight population. Further research, including a randomized clinical trial, is needed to confirm these results.
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