Abstract
Objectives:
We report on the first months of recruitment for a study to evaluate outpatient training for moderately overweight youths.
Methods:
Various recruitment strategies were employed, including media exposure, paediatricians, school events, and the distribution of flyers. Roughly 6 160 overweight and 4 720 obese children and adolescents of the target age range were estimated to live in the study area.
Results:
Altogether, 172 families enrolled for participation. Only 38 enrolled children (22.1%), however, were overweight and thereby eligible for participation, 132 children (76.7%) were obese and two were normal weight. Most eligible participants were recruited via media or paediatricians.
Conclusions:
Reaching overweight, but not obese, children and adolescents for intervention is difficult, where a low recognition of the condition in its less extreme form might be a particular problem.
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Submitted: 15 Januar 2008; revised: 25 September 2008, 15 December 2008; accepted: 18 January 2009
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Finne, E., Reinehr, T., Schaefer, A. et al. Overweight children and adolescents – is there a subjective need for treatment?. Int J Public Health 54, 112–116 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-8004-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-8004-x