Pediatric Weight Management

Traffic Light Diet or Similar Approaches (2006)

The Traffic Light Diet (sometimes called the Stop Light Diet) was developed by Leonard H. Epstein and colleagues for use in their family-based childhood overweight research. This group of scholars has been responsible for a large portion of the best research on childhood overweight for over the past two decades. Perhaps because of the ground-breaking nature of their research, the Traffic Light Diet has become broadly recognized and in some cases copied.

• Intervention
  What is the evidence to support using the Traffic Light Diet as a way of managing energy and food intake in children?

  • Conclusion

    The Traffic Light Diet is an effective component of a clinically supervised, multi-component childhood weight-management intervention program.

  • Grade: I
    • Grade I means there is Good/Strong evidence supporting the statement;
    • Grade II is Fair;
    • Grade III is Limited/Weak;
    • Grade IV is Expert Opinion Only;
    • Grade V is Not Assignable.
    • High (A) means we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect;
    • Moderate (B) means we are moderately confident in the effect estimate;
    • Low (C) means our confidence in the effect estimate is limited;
    • Very Low (D) means we have very little confidence in the effect estimate.
    • Ungraded means a grade is not assignable.
  • Evidence Summary: What is the evidence to support using the Traffic Light Diet as a way of managing energy and food intake in children?
    • Detail
    • Quality Rating Summary
      For a summary of the Quality Rating results, click here.
    • Worksheets
      • Epstein LH, Paluch RA, Gordy CC, Dorn J. Decreasing sedentary behaviors in treating pediatric obesity. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000; 154 (3):220-6.
      • Epstein LH, Paluch RA, Gordy CC, Saelens BE, Ernst MM. Problem solving in the treatment of childhood obesity.  J Consult Clin Psychol 2000;68:717-21.
      • Epstein LH, Paluch RA, and Raynor HA. Sex Differences in Obese Children and Siblings in Family-based Obesity Treatment. Obesity Research 2001;9:746-753 
      • Epstein LH, Valoski A, Wing RR, McCurley J. Ten-year follow-up of behavioral, family-based treatment for obese children. JAMA 1990; 264: 2519-2523.
      • Epstein LH, Valoski A, Wing RR, McCurley J. Ten-year outcomes of behavioral family-based treatment for childhood obesity. Health Psychology. 1994, 13:373-383.
      • Epstein LH, Valoski AM, Vara LS, McCurley J, Wisniewski L, Kalarchian MA, Klein KR, Shrager LR. Effects of decreasing sedentary behavior and increasing activity on weight change in obese children.  Health Psychol 1995;14:109-15.
      • Epstein LH, Wing RR, Koeske R, and Valoski A. Effect of parent weight on weight loss in obese children.  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.  54(3):  400-401, 1986.
      • Epstein LH, Wing RR, Koeske R, Valoski A. Effects of diet plus exercise on weight change in parents and children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1984; 52:429-437.
      • Epstein LH, Wing RR, Koeske R, Valoski A. A Comparison of Lifestyle Exercise, Aerobic Exercise, and Calisthenics on Weight Loss in Obese Children. Behavior Therapy 1985;16;345-56.
      • Epstein LH, Wing RR, Penner BC, Kress MJ. Effect of diet and controlled exercise on weight loss in obese children.  J Pediatr 1985;107:358-61.
      • Goldfield GS, Epstein LH, Kilanowski CK, Paluch RA, Kogut-Bossler B. Cost-effectiveness of group and mixed family-based treatment for childhood obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Dec;25(12):1843-9.
  • Search Plan and Results: Diet Therapy: Traffic Light Diet 2005