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Development and evaluation of the lifestyle intervention “Obeldicks light” for overweight children and adolescents

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Abstract

Aim

Specific interventions for overweight but not obese children have not been established yet. Therefore, we developed the methods, materials, and an evaluation protocol for a lifestyle intervention for overweight children based on an intervention for obese children.

Subjects and methods

The 1-year lifestyle intervention “Obeldicks” for obese children, compromised of physical activity plans, nutritional education, and behavioural counselling, including individual psychological care for both children and their parents, was shortened, reducing the amount of exercise training and individual counselling by about 50%, forming a 6-month intervention (“Obeldicks light”).

Results

The evaluation protocol was based on guidelines and validated instruments with available German healthy normal-weight controls. As the ideal study design, a multicentre randomised controlled trail with the primary outcome change of weight status was identified. As secondary outcomes, improvement of body composition (skinfold thickness, bioimpedance analysis), cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, waist circumference), quality of life, dietary habits, eating, exercise, and sedentary behaviour were established. Potential influencing factors for treatment success were identified, such as parental BMI, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. All proposed instruments were validated in the German representative KiGGS and DONALD study.

Conclusions

Adapting a well-established program for obese children to overweight children is an easy way to create a lifestyle intervention for overweight children. Our study protocol using instruments validated in German normal weight cohorts allows evaluating this new intervention.

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Acknowledgements

AS, TR, and KW developed the lifestyle intervention; TR, EF, and PK performed the evaluation study; AS, KW, EF, PK, and TR prepared the discussion; TR wrote the first version of the manuscript.

The “Obeldicks light” intervention was initiated by the health insurances Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), Kaufmänische Krankenkasse/Allianz (KKH Allianz), Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkassen (DAK), and the Vestische Kinder- und Jugendklinik Datteln.

This study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research (grant nos. 01EL619 and 01EL0603)

Conflict of interest

All authors have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Medicine, Vestische Hospital for Children and Adolescents Datteln, University of Witten/Herdecke, Dr. F. Steiner Str. 5, 45711, Datteln, Germany

    Thomas Reinehr, Anke Schaefer & Katrin Winkel

  2. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielefeld, Postfach 10 01 31, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany

    Emily Finne & Petra Kolip

Authors
  1. Thomas Reinehr
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  2. Anke Schaefer
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  3. Katrin Winkel
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  4. Emily Finne
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  5. Petra Kolip
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas Reinehr.

Additional information

This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00422916).

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Reinehr, T., Schaefer, A., Winkel, K. et al. Development and evaluation of the lifestyle intervention “Obeldicks light” for overweight children and adolescents. J Public Health 19, 377–384 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-011-0410-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-011-0410-x

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