Five‐year outpatient programme that provided children with continuous behavioural obesity treatment enjoyed high success rate

Abstract

AIM: Results from long-time follow-up of obesity treatment in early childhood are lacking. We investigate long-term continuous behavioural childhood obesity treatment and factors of importance for treatment effect. METHOD: A five-year longitudinal retrospective controlled study of children aged five to 13 years in obesity treatment, divided into three groups depending on age at start of treatment. Outcome is presented as change in degree of obesity, body mass index standard deviation score (BMI SDS), change in weight status and decrease of ≥0.5 BMI SDS units, in relation to a age-matched obese comparison group. RESULTS: In total, 220 children (46% females) were included. After five years of treatment, the decrease in BMI SDS was significant in all age groups with the largest effect in age group 4-6 years. Compared to the comparison group (n = 369), the decline in BMI SDS was greater (p = 0.001). After five years of treatment, 48% of the patients were cured from their obesity and 72% reached a decline of 0.5 BMI SDS units. Age at start of treatment was the only factor affecting treatment efficacy. CONCLUSION: The ability to reach a significant weight loss in a paediatric outpatient clinic is promising through a long-term behavioural obesity treatment.