Abstract
BackgroundFatigue is a frequent complaint amongst children and adolescents with obesity, and it interferes with adherence to dietary and exercise regimes that could reduce obesity. The present study evaluated the effect of an inpatient 3-week body weight reduction program on body weight and fatigue.MethodOne hundred children and adolescents with obesity (64% female; aged 11–18 years) undertook an inpatient program of personalized diet, daily exercise, education, and counselling.ResultsThe sample evidenced a mean reduction in body mass (females: ΔM = 4.3 (sd = 2.1) kg, p < .001), males: ΔM = 6.2 (sd = 2.6) kg, p < .001), BMI standard deviation score (females: ΔM = 0.17 (sd = 0.07), males: ΔM = 0.24 (sd = 0.08), p < .001) and fatigue (females: ΔM = 7.8 (sd = 9.7), males: ΔM = 5.0 (sd = 6.9), p < .001) as measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL-MFS) and improvements on the Attention problems subscale of the Youth Self Report (total sample: ΔM = 0.89 (sd = 2.44), p < .001). Reliable change analyses revealed fatigue changes were achieved by up to 34% females and 17% males, but the majority did not achieve reliable change and changes in fatigue were not correlated with changes in body mass.ConclusionsThe program achieved clinically significant improvements in some children and adolescents. Future studies should explore predictors of treatment responsiveness.Trial registration Observational study. Not registered.
Highlights
The prevalence of obesity globally has nearly tripled between 1975 and 2016, with the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents increasing from 4 to 18% [69]
Body weight For the full sample there was a significant reduction in body mass (BM) from day 0 to day 21 (t(98) = 20.5, p < 0.001) with a large effect size (d = 2.06, 95%CI[1.71, 2.41])
They achieved a change in BM of M = 5.3% (SD = 1.7%), while females achieved a change of BM of M = 4.3% (SD = 1.8%)
Summary
The prevalence of obesity globally has nearly tripled between 1975 and 2016, with the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents increasing from 4 to 18% [69]. Smout et al Health and Quality of Life Outcomes (2022) 20:3 and adolescents who are obese are five times more likely to be obese in adulthood [55] and childhood obesity is a risk factor for a number of comorbid medical conditions. Between 67–86% children with severe obesity evidence at least one cardiometabolic risk factor [7]. These include dyslipidemia, such as increased triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids, and reduced high-density lipoproteins, hypertension and glycated hemoglobin. Higher childhood BMI is associated with hyperinsulinemia during childhood, which prospectively predicts metabolic syndrome in adulthood [70]. Fatigue is a frequent complaint amongst children and adolescents with obesity, and it interferes with adherence to dietary and exercise regimes that could reduce obesity. The present study evaluated the effect of an inpatient 3-week body weight reduction program on body weight and fatigue
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