Children whose families have increased psychosocial risks are three times more likely to discontinue weight management treatment and are also less likely to improve their weight status, according to new research published on April 5 in the Journal of Pediatrics.
“Previous studies have found that the majority of children who receive interdisciplinary treatment in weight management clinics are successful at achieving a healthier weight,” said lead author Thao-Ly Tam Phan, MD, MPH, Nemours Weight Management Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and colleagues. “However, most weight management clinics report significant drop-out rates, limiting the number of patients who benefit from treatment.”
The researchers found families with moderate-to-high risk scores on the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT) were 3.1 times more likely to stop attending the clinic. The children of those families were 2.6 times more likely to see an increase body mass index (BMI) and 3.2 times more likely to see no significant change in BMI.
Fourteen patients receiving psychological services as part of their weight management treatment had lower attrition rates (27 percent) than those who did not (57 percent).
“Given the significant impact that psychosocial risk factors seem to have on outcomes in weight management treatment, identifying and addressing parent mental health concerns, child behavior concerns, and family social resource needs upfront may help improve outcomes in children with obesity,” Phan said.
The study enrolled 100 families of children between the ages of four and 12 during their first visit to the weight management clinic. The researchers used PAT to screen the families’ psychosocial risk. They found 59 percent of families had moderate-to-high psychosocial risk scores and 41 percent had low scores. Each child’s weight management progress was followed for over six months.
Demographically, 36 percent of the cohort was black, 43 percent was white and 55 percent exhibited severe obesity.
The authors noted some limitations with the study. The sample size was small and follow up was limited by attrition and the short duration of the study. Additionally, the study cohort was not diversified in terms of ethnic background and the study did not look at children outside of the weight management clinic setting.
“Coupled with our findings in this study, including the finding of reduced attrition among families who received psychology services as part of their weight management treatment plan, this suggests that screening for and addressing parental mental health and child behavioral issues may be important to improving outcomes in children with obesity, especially among vulnerable, socially disadvantaged families,” the authors concluded.
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.