Obesity in Kids can be Addressed by Family-Based Treatments

Obesity in children is a complex disorder. Children grow at different rates, so it isn't always easy to know when a child is obese or overweight.

Physical activity is very important. Kids need about 60 minutes each day. It does not have to happen all at once. Several short periods of activity during the day are just as good. Researchers found that a family-based treatment for obesity in children--which included nutritional advice, exercise, and behavioral counseling--was effective.

‘The rise in the number of overweight children is disturbing, because it causes health problems and can lead to social problems.’

The treatment lasted for about a year, but severely obese children or children who had significant metabolic disturbances remained in secondary care for a longer time. Participants' body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) remained significantly lower than at the start of the study throughout a three-year follow-up period.

The study included 654 children aged 2-18 years who were treated for obesity in the pediatric units of three Finnish hospitals. Factors associated with a successful weight loss were young age and high BMI-SDS at baseline, good motivation for treatment, and adherence to the treatment protocol.

"Adolescence and acanthosis nigricans--a skin condition characterized by dark, velvety patches in body folds and creases--predicted a significantly worse outcome," said Dr. Marketta Dalla Valle, first author of the Acta Paediatrica study. "Targeted treatment programs for adolescents could lead to better results."

Source: Eurekalert