Faculty Collaboration Database

Predictors of attrition and weight loss in an adolescent weight control program. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2008 Jun;16(6):1318-23

Date

03/22/2008

Pubmed ID

18356834

DOI

10.1038/oby.2008.51

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-44449150649 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   112 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate demographic and psychosocial predictors of attrition and weight loss in a behaviorally based adolescent weight control trial.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Adolescents (N = 76) aged 13-16 years and 20-80% overweight (M = 60.56%, s.d. = 15.17%) received standard group-based behavioral treatment as part of a randomized trial comparing different activity interventions for overweight adolescents. Anthropometric and psychosocial measures were obtained at baseline and after the 16-week intervention.

RESULTS: Higher parent (P < 0.01) and adolescent BMI (P < 0.05) at baseline, as well as ethnic minority status (P < 0.05) were significantly associated with attrition in univariate analyses. Parent BMI remained the only significant predictor of attrition in multivariate analyses. BMI change for completers (N = 62) was highly variable, ranging from -6.09 to +1.62 BMI units. Male gender (P < 0.01) was a significant predictor of reduction in BMI, whereas not being from an ethnic minority group (P < 0.05) and attendance at group sessions (P = 0.05) were associated with > or = 5% absolute weight loss in multivariate analyses. Absolute weight loss during the first 4 weeks of the program was strongly associated with weight loss (pr = 0.44, P < 0.001) during the remainder of the intervention. Psychosocial variables were unrelated to attrition or treatment outcome.

DISCUSSION: These findings highlight the potential importance of attending to parental BMI in efforts to retain adolescent participants in treatment, as well as the need to develop weight control interventions that are more effective for ethnic minority youth.

Author List

Jelalian E, Hart CN, Mehlenbeck RS, Lloyd-Richardson EE, Kaplan JD, Flynn-O'Brien KT, Wing RR

Author

Katherine T. Flynn-O'Brien MD, MPH Assistant Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Body Weight
Exercise
Female
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Multivariate Analysis
Overweight
Parent-Child Relations
Patient Dropouts
Predictive Value of Tests
Psychology
Sex Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Treatment Outcome
Weight Loss