Effectiveness of behavioural and psychological interventions for managing obesity in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta‐analysis framed using minimal important difference estimates based on GRADE guidance to inform a clinical practice guideline
Authors' conclusion
Physical activity and multicomponent interventions showed improvements in PROMs, cardiometabolic and anthropometric outcomes. Future trials should consistently measure PROMs, evaluate outcomes beyond the intervention period, and study children <6 years of age.
Study context
- Population
- Children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years with obesity; Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published 1985–2022 with outcomes ≥3 months post-baseline; 53% female
- Participants
- 6,305 children73 RCTs
- Comparison
- Behavioural and psychological interventions for paediatric obesity
- Physical activityn = 1,437
- Nutritionn = 447
- Psychologicaln = 1,336
- Technology-basedn = 901
- Multicomponentn = 2,184
- Outcome
- Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), cardiometabolic and anthropometric outcomes by intervention type
Methodological detailsrandom effects model, GRADE certainty of evidence framed by minimally important difference estimates
- Random effects model
- GRADE certainty of evidence framed by minimally important difference estimates
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- Physical activity: small effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL); moderate to very large effects on blood pressure, lipids and insulin resistance; small effect on BMIz
- Nutrition: small effect on lipids, insulin resistance and BMIz
- Psychological: small effect on HRQoL and TG; moderate benefits on depressive symptoms
- Technology: small benefits on blood pressure and BMIz
- Multicomponent: large benefit on anxiety; small benefit on depressive symptoms; large to very large benefits on lipids; small benefits for diastolic blood pressure, insulin resistance and BMIz
Original publication
Effectiveness of behavioural and psychological interventions for managing obesity in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta‐analysis framed using minimal important difference estimates based on GRADE guidance to inform a clinical practice guideline. Pediatr Obes. Published 16 January 2025. doi:10.
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