• Intervention
    How does adolescent-only treatment of obesity compare to interventions including both adolescent and parent in a mixed treatment format (sometimes together sometimes separate)?
    • Conclusion

      No studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this question were found for treatment of adolescent obesity.

      Thus, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether interventions, including both adolescent and parent in a mixed treatment format (sometimes together sometimes separate), is more effective than treating adolescents for obesity without their parents.

    • Grade: V
      • 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.
    How does child-only treatment of obesity in children ages 2-5 compare to treating both child and parent in a mixed treatment format (sometimes together sometimes separate)?
    • Conclusion

      No studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this question were found for treatment of children ages two to five for obesity using a mixed treatment or child-only format.

      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.
    How does child-only treatment of obesity in children ages 6-12 compare to treating both child and parent in a mixed treatment format (sometimes together sometimes separate)?
    • Conclusion

      Because the evidence directly comparing child-only vs. child-and-parent (in mixed-treatment format) interventions is limited to one study comprising 36 children and, given the fact that the difference between these two treatment formats was not significant at 5 or 10 years, we cannot say definitively that child and parent in mixed treatment format brings about better long-term weight status outcomes than child-only interventions in the 6 to 12 age group.

      However, given the evidence that child-only interventions are generally not effective for children ages 6 to 12, including the parents in some fashion in treatment of childhood obesity is likely more effective.

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

    • 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.