Therapeutic Education Groups for Childhood Obesity

Therapeutic Education Groups for Childhood Obesity: a Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the efficacy of an educational therapeutic intervention in treating obesity in a pediatric population.

It aims to verify the differences between the experimental group (group-based program) and the control group (individual program) in respect to the BMI z-score values between baseline measurement (beginning of treatment), final measurement (end of treatment) and 18 months follow-up.

One of the aim of this clinical trial is to verify that the direct management of the emotional and relational aspects of patients and family plays an important role in maintaining the weight changes achieved in the long term.

The potential added value of the present study concerns the better understanding of the role of psychological and emotional aspects in the treatment of childhood obesity and in maintaining results in the long term.

The clinical trial aims to recruit 300 obese children randomized in two groups: experimental group and control group.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Obesity (>= 95th percentile);
• No organic causes of obesity;
• Sufficient understanding and production of Italian language;
• Age between 7 and 17 years old;
• Absence of neuropsychiatric diagnosis;
• Subscription of the Informed Consent from both parents (or legal guardian).

Exclusion Criteria

• Degree of obesity< 95th percentile;
• Organic causes of obesity;
• Insufficient understanding and production of Italian language;
• Age <7 or >17;
• Presence of neuropsychiatric diagnosis;
• One parent (or legal guardian) refuses to subscribe the Informed Consent.