Study objective. To evaluate the effect of family therapy on childhood obesity.
Design. Clinical trial. One year follow-up.
Setting. Referral from school after screening.
Participants. Of 1774 children (aged 10 to 11), screened for obesity, 44 obese children were divided into two treatment groups. In an untreated control group of 50 obese children, screened in the same manner, body mass index (BMI) values were recorded twice, at 10 to 11 and at 14 years of age.
Intervention. Both treatment groups received comparable dietary counseling and medical checkups for a period of 14 to 18 months, while one of the groups also received family therapy.
Results. At the 1-year follow-up, when the children were 14 years of age, intention-to-treat analyses were made of the weight and height data for 39 of 44 children in the two treatment groups and for 48 of the 50 control children. The increase of BMI in the family therapy group was less than in the conventional treatment group at the end of treatment, and less than in the control group (P = .04 and P = .02, respectively). Moreover, mean BMI was significantly lower in the family therapy group than in the control group (P < .05), and the family therapy group also had fewer children with BMI > 30 than the control group (P = .02). The reduction of triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac skinfold thicknesses, expressed as percentages of the initial values, was significantly greater in the family therapy group than in the conventional treatment group (P = .03, P = .005 and P = .002, respectively), and their physical fitness was significantly better (P < .05).
Conclusions. Family therapy seems to be effective in preventing progression to severe obesity during adolescence if the treatment starts at 10 to 11 years of age.