• Assessment
    Is counseling young children (ages 2-5) for weight loss in the absence of their parents effective?
    • Conclusion

      There were no studies that met the inclusion criteria for child-only weight-loss interventions with young children (ages two to five).

      However, given the evidence that child-only interventions are not effective for children ages six to 12, it is unlikely that child-only interventions with young children (ages two to five) are effective.
       

      See Is counseling children (ages 6-12) for weight loss in the absence of their parents effective?

      Effectiveness aside, weight loss (in contrast to weight maintenance) in this population may be appropriate only under certain circumstances. However, these circumstances have not been identified in the research.

    • Grade: IV
      • 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.
  • Intervention
    Is counseling children (ages 6 to 12) for weight loss in the absence of their parents effective?
    • Conclusion

      Counseling of younger children in the absence of their parents is not effective for either short-term or longer-term weight loss treatment.

    • Grade: III
      • 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.
    Is counseling of adolescents for weight loss in the absence of their parents effective?
    • Conclusion

      Counseling adolescent children (13 to 18 years) for weight loss in the absence of some form of parent participation may be effective in the short-term and perhaps for as long as one year post-treatment.

    • Grade: II
      • 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.