OUTCOMES OF OBESE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ENROLLED IN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY HEALTH-PROGRAM

OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to evaluate the impact of a multidis ciplinary program on children and adolescents' weight control. DESIGN: Retrospective study regarding changes in relative weight of all patie nts treated regularly in an out-patient care public service between Ja nuary 1992 and December 1993. SUBJECTS: 198 children and adolescents ( 108 girls and 90 boys; mean age: 9.25 y; mean body mass index (BMI): 2 4.26 kg/m(2), range 19.1-40.31). MEASUREMENTS: Anthropometric data col lected at the visits were obtained until June 30 1994. BMI compared to reference data was used. Dual Photon X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) was used for 64 patients, to determine percent body fat. RESULTS: Relative weight at the last visit was significantly lower when compared with i nitial relative weight for the whole sample. Significantly better outc ome of relative weight was obtained when six or more visits occurred f or the whole sample, and for girls when the days' interval between vis its was shorter than 52d. Variables such as percent body fat, body sha pe at the first visit, family obesity pattern, length of obesity and p ubertal stage, did not significantly influence the outcome of relative weight for the subjects during the treatment. CONCLUSION: Results obt ained indicated that good outcomes can be obtained in a program using nutrition education focused on small modifications of eating habits in order to avoid excess energy intake. The best predictors of weight im provement for children and adolescents participating in the program we re the higher frequency of visits and shorter intervals between them.