A Study to Determine the Effectiveness of a Self-regulation Program to Treat Pediatric Obesity

Self-Regulation Treatment for Pediatric Obesity

The objective of this study is to pilot test, evaluate and compare the effects of Cue Reactivity and Sensitivity Training (CRST) and Children's Appetite Awareness Training (CAAT) in 48 children aged 8-12 years old. The central hypothesis is that CRST and CAAT will reduce eating in the absence of hunger in overweight children immediately following treatment and 6-months post treatment.

The primary aim of this proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy and compare the effectiveness of Cue Responsivity and Sensitivity Training (CRST) or Children's Appetite Awareness Training (CAAT) in decreasing eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) in overweight children. Following this first intervention, a second intervention to determine the efficacy of a combination program (combined CAAT & CRST) will be implemented.

The secondary aim of this study is to evaluate change in the following related measures for both children and adults who participated in CRST, CAAT, and the combination program: BMI for age, food intake, perceptions of control over eating, and self-efficacy in managing high-risk food situations.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than the 85%-ile
• child consumes 10%+ of daily caloric need during Eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) assessment
• child between the age of 8-12 at the time of the first data collection visit

Exclusion Criteria:

• non-English speaking
• history of eating disorder
• food allergies
• unavailable on days of intervention meetings
• current participation in a weight loss or maintenance program
• presence of any medical condition affecting weight or growth
• presence of any physical, emotional, or behavioral disability that would prevent participant from taking part in the weekly study visits or the three data collection visits.