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Patient Characteristics as Predictors of Weight Loss after an Obesity Treatment for Children
Author(s) -
Braet Caroline
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1038/oby.2006.18
Subject(s) - weight loss , medicine , overweight , psychopathology , obesity , socioeconomic status , severe obesity , pediatrics , clinical psychology , population , environmental health
Objective : To examine pretreatment patient characteristics as predictors of treatment outcome 2 years after completion of an inpatient treatment for children with obesity. Research Methods and Procedures : Children ( N = 122) ranging in age from 7 to 17 years [mean, 12.7 ± 2.3 (SD) years] with a mean adjusted BMI of 179.5 ± 28.6% participated in an inpatient obesity treatment program. Children (90.2% response rate) participated in the 2‐year follow‐up. Eight predictors, administered at baseline, were entered in separate regression analyses, with weight loss and changes on three psychological health measures as the outcome measures. Results : Analyses revealed that baseline degree of overweight, age, and initial weight loss were significant positive predictors of weight loss 2 years after treatment, whereas eating disorder characteristics were a negative predictor. Sex, socioeconomic status, global self‐esteem, and symptoms of psychopathology did not predict weight loss. With regard to the psychological outcome measures, baseline symptomatology emerged as the most important predictor of treatment changes. Discussion : Long‐lasting weight loss is associated with severity of pretreatment characteristics. Identification of the clinical markers for long‐term response to treatment is useful to set realistic weight loss goals for clients and to tailor treatment programs to patient characteristics.