Effective weight loss for overweight children: a meta-analysis of intervention studies.

Author: Snethen JA, Broome ME, Cashin SE

Author affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA.

Publication date & source: 2006.02, J Pediatr Nurs., 21(1):45-56.

Publication type: Meta-Analysis

Childhood overweight has increased in the United States. Success of weight-loss programs has been limited (Barlow, S.E., & Dietz, W.H. (1998). Obesity evaluation and treatment: Expert committee recomendations. Pediatrics, 102, e29.). The purpose of this investigation was to systematically examine the effectiveness of weight-loss interventions for children. For this meta-analysis, seven weight-loss intervention studies were coded and quality index scores calculated. The interventions had a significant positive effect on weight-loss average d = 0.95, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.79 to 1.11. Limited interventional studies with effective long-term maintenance of weight loss in children are available in the literature. However, there are effective methods for weight loss in children.