Abstract
Childhood obesity continues to be a major public health problem. The scale and broad range of negative consequences of obesity suggest the need for urgent action. Severe obesity levels have risen in most instances at a greater and disproportionate rate to other weight categories. The evidence base shows that children’s weight loss interventions are effective, although the degree of weight loss is small. Residential weight loss camps (RWLC) have been running for more than three decades; however, it is only recently that some have become expert led and evidence based. The evidence, while small, is growing and demonstrates a significant impact on physical, psychological, and social health and well-being. The short- and long-term outcomes tend to be better than standard community weight loss programs (although they are more expensive), and the broader impacts are strong given the holistic nature of the environment. Given this evidence, these interventions should be used as primary tool in combating obesity in severely obese children.
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Gately, P.J. (2014). Residential Weight Loss Camps for Children and Young People. In: Haslam, D., Sharma, A., le Roux, C. (eds) Controversies in Obesity. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2834-2_27
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2834-2_27
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