The effectiveness of a stage-based lifestyle modification intervention for obese children

Abstract

BackgroundInterventions that encompass behavioural modifications of dietary intake and physical activity are essential for the management of obesity in children. This study assessed the effectiveness of a stage-based lifestyle modification intervention for obese children.MethodsA total of 50 obese children (7–11 years old) were randomized to the intervention group (IG, n = 25) or the control group (CG, n = 25). Data were collected at baseline, at follow-up (every month) and at six months after the end of the intervention. IG received stage-based lifestyle modification intervention based on the Nutrition Practice Guideline for the Management of Childhood Obesity, while CG received standard treatment. Changes in body composition, physical activity and dietary intake were examined in both the intervention and control groups.ResultsBoth groups had significant increases in weight (IG: 1.5 ± 0.5 kg; CG: 3.9 ± 0.6 kg) (p < 0.01) and waist circumference (IG: 0.1 ± 0.5 cm; CG: 2.2 ± 0.7 cm) (p < 0.05), but the increases were significantly higher in CG than IG. Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age z scores decreased significantly in IG (− 0.2 ± 0.0, p < 0.01) but not in CG. The physical activity of the IG significantly increased (0.44 ± 0.13) compared with that of CG (− 0.28 ± 0.18), and the difference in mean change between groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Dietary intake was not significantly different between the two groups. However, calorie and carbohydrate intake decreased significantly in both groups.ConclusionsA stage-based intervention that modified dietary and physical activity behaviour may be effective in weight management for obese children.Trial registrationNCT03429699 retrospectively registered 9 February 2018.

Transtheoretical model-based nutritional interventions in adolescents: a systematic review

“…The final sample of 11 articles was published between 2003 and 2018 [16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26]. Two of the articles were assessed jointly because they covered the same intervention [19,20].…”

“…Four articles were classified as weak [16,18,24,30], five as moderate [17,21,23,26,29] and three as strong [19,24,27]. Most of the studies were rated as weak due to having a non-representative sample [16,18,24,30] and because blinding was not mentioned in the paper [16,24].…”

“…One study recruited adolescents from youth service agencies [19,20], another recruited adolescents in search of nutritional treatment [29] and a third recruited adolescents through digital media, radio and television [30]. The remaining studies recruited adolescents from schools [16,17,18,21,22,23,24,25,26]. The participants' age ranged from 7 to 19 years old, with only one study including preteens, whose age ranged from 7 to 12 years old [21].…”

“…The remaining studies recruited adolescents from schools [16,17,18,21,22,23,24,25,26]. The participants' age ranged from 7 to 19 years old, with only one study including preteens, whose age ranged from 7 to 12 years old [21]. The other studies included adolescents between twelve and nineteen years old.…”

“…The other studies included adolescents between twelve and nineteen years old. The majority of the studies targeted low-income populations [17,18,19,21,22,23,24,29], with three focusing on middle-income adolescents [16,25,26], one on African Americans [19] and two exclusively on girls [17,26]. Four studies focused on obese adolescents [21,26,29,30].…”