Children with families who have increased psychological and social risks, including child behavior issues, parent mental health problems and family financial challenges, were more likely to stop weight management treatment and less likely improve their weight status, according to a study published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Researchers at Jacksonville, Fla.-based Nemours Children's Health System collaborated for the study, which encourages early psychosocial screening in treating childhood obesity.
The study enrolled 100 families of children between the ages of four and 12 during their first visit to the weight management clinic. Most children were non-Hispanic black (36 percent) or white (43 percent) and had severe obesity (55 percent).
The researchers found over half (59 percent) of families had moderate to high psychosocial risk scores and 41 percent had low scores on the Psychosocial Assessment Tool, which screens families for psychosocial risk. When the researchers compared data on all patients who have completed the Psychosocial Assessment Tool in the U.S. and across the globe, families included in this study were twice as likely to have a moderate-to-high risk score.
The study tracked each child's progress over six months and found families with moderate-to-high risk scores on the PAT were over three times more likely to stop attending the clinic. In addition, children of those families were 2.6 times more likely to have an increase in body mass index z-score and 3.2 times more likely to not have a meaningful change in their BMI z-score.
"Previous studies have found that the majority of children who receive interdisciplinary treatment in weight management clinics are successful at achieving a healthier weight. However, most weight management clinics report significant drop-out rates, limiting the number of patients who benefit from treatment," lead study author Thao-Ly Tam Phan, MD, said in a press release.
"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."