Estimated Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of a Pediatric Weight Management Program
Main finding · ICER per QALY gainedResult — go to the resultICER $10 554 per QALY gainedAuthors' conclusion
In this economic evaluation of a pediatric weight management program, the Connect for Health program was estimated to be cost-effective. These findings are important for health care systems that serve children who are less likely to receive obesity-related care in making decisions about program adoption.
Study context
- Population
- Simulated pediatric cohort mirroring the Connect for Health randomized clinical trial (RCT) population (Boston, MA); 47% female, mean (SD) age 8.0 (3.0) years, mean (SD) BMI z score 1.91 (0.56)simulated cohort
- Participants
- 2,494 participants
- Exposure
- Connect for Health program vs no intervention
- Outcome
- Costs of program implementation and ICER per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained
Methodological detailsMarkov cohort model, simulation model, based on the Connect for Health RCT and implementation study, 2 academic medical centers, Data analyzed October 2023 to March 2025
- Markov cohort model
- Simulation model
- Based on the Connect for Health RCT and implementation study
- 2 academic medical centers
- Data analyzed October 2023 to March 2025
Main finding
ICER per QALY gained · 2 years
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER)
$10 554 per QALY gained
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Implementation costs in primary care
- 1-time startup costs
- $58 000
- Ongoing monthly costs
- $1300
Cohort size threshold to amortize costs
- Children in a cohort needed to effectively amortize costs
- 534
Original publication
Estimated Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of a Pediatric Weight Management Program. JAMA Netw Open. Published 1 May 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →