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Effect of multidisciplinary interventions on quality of life in obese children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the effect of multidisciplinary intervention (MI) programs for overweight and obese children on quality of life (QoL).

Methods

Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant studies without date restrictions up to July 2014. Included were randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials evaluating an MI aimed to reduce weight in overweight children and reporting QoL. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane guidelines. Data were pooled for short- (up to 6 months) and long-term (12–18 months) effects using a random effects model.

Results

In total, 11 studies were included, studying a total of 997 children aged 3–18 years. No significant differences were found between MI and control interventions on short-term QoL outcomes [mean difference (MD) 1.73, 95 % confidence interval (CI) −0.26 to 3.73 on a 0–100 scale]. Long-term results showed a nonsignificant trend toward a higher QoL in children following an MI program compared with control interventions (MD 4.40 95 % CI −0.12 to 8.92).

Conclusion

There is insufficient evidence that MI programs, aimed to reduce weight in overweight and obese children, improve QoL.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest.

Ethical standards

Since a systematic review is conducted, this manuscript only contains data from previously published studies. No clinical studies were performed nor patient data were collected for this systematic review.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Room Na-1923, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Kelly A. M. Ligthart, Winifred D. Paulis, Dewi Djasmo, Bart W. Koes & Marienke van Middelkoop

Authors
  1. Kelly A. M. Ligthart
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  2. Winifred D. Paulis
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  3. Dewi Djasmo
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  4. Bart W. Koes
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  5. Marienke van Middelkoop
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kelly A. M. Ligthart.

Appendix: Search strategy

Appendix: Search strategy

PubMed

(child*[tiab] OR child[mesh] OR infan*[tw] OR pediatr*[tw] OR paediatr*[tw] OR adolescen*[tw]) NOT adult[mesh] AND (body mass inde*[tw] OR overweight[tw] OR obes*[tw] OR BMI [tw] OR Quetelet*[tw] OR weight status*[tw] OR weight loss[tw] OR losing weight[tw] OR weight control*[tw]) AND (intervention*[tw] OR reduction[tw] OR program*[tw] OR train*[tw] OR trial[tw]) AND (econom*[tw] OR financ*[tw] OR community[tw] OR cost-effectiveness[tw] OR cost[tw] OR costs[tw] OR general health[tw] OR quality of life[tw] OR QoL[tw] OR Absenteeism[tw] OR social burden*[tw]) AND (randomized controlled trial [pt] OR controlled clinical trial [pt] OR randomized [tiab] OR placebo [tiab] OR randomly [tiab] OR trial [tiab] OR groups [tiab] OR case control*[tw] OR cross section*[tw]) NOT (animals [mh] NOT humans [mh]).

EMBASE

(child*:ti,ab OR child/exp OR (infan* OR pediatr* OR paediatr* OR adolescen*):de,ab,ti) NOT adult/exp AND ((‘body mass’ NEXT/1 inde*) OR overweight OR obes* OR BMI OR Quetelet* OR (weight NEXT/1 status*) OR (weight NEAR/3 (loss OR losing OR control))):de,ab,ti AND (intervention* OR reduction OR program* OR train* OR trial):de,ab,ti AND (econom* OR financ* OR community OR cost* OR ‘general health’ OR ‘quality of life’ OR QoL OR Absenteeism OR (social NEXT/1 burden*)):de,ab,ti AND (random*:ab,ti OR factorial*:ab,ti OR crossover*:ab,ti OR (cross NEXT/1 over*):ab,ti OR placebo*:ab,ti OR ((doubl* OR singl*) NEAR/5 blind*):ab,ti OR assign*:ab,ti OR allocat*:ab,ti OR volunteer*:ab,ti OR ‘crossover procedure’/de OR ‘double-blind procedure’/de OR ‘randomized controlled trial’/de OR ‘single-blind procedure’/de OR (case* NEAR/3 control*):de,ab,ti OR (cross NEAR/3 section*):de,ab,ti).

Cochrane

(child* OR infan* OR pediatr* OR paediatr* OR adolescen*) NOT adult AND (“body mass inde*” OR overweight OR obes* OR BMI OR Quetelet* OR “weight status*” OR (weight NEAR/3 (loss OR losing OR control))) AND (intervention* OR reduction OR program* OR train* OR trial) AND (econom* OR financ* OR community OR cost* OR “general health “ OR “quality of life “ OR QoL OR Absenteeism OR “social burden*”).

Web of Science

(child* OR infan* OR pediatr* OR paediatr* OR adolescen*) NOT adult AND (“body mass inde*” OR overweight OR obes* OR BMI OR Quetelet* OR “weight status*” OR (weight NEAR/3 (loss OR losing OR control))) AND (intervention* OR reduction OR program* OR train* OR trial) AND (econom* OR financ* OR community OR cost* OR “general health “ OR “quality of life “ OR QoL OR Absenteeism OR “social burden*”) AND (“controlled clinical trial” OR randomized OR placebo OR randomly OR trial OR groups OR “case control*” OR “cross section*”).

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Ligthart, K.A.M., Paulis, W.D., Djasmo, D. et al. Effect of multidisciplinary interventions on quality of life in obese children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Qual Life Res 24, 1635–1643 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0881-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0881-7

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