Family behavioral treatment for school-aged children obesity.

Background. Obesity affects 27–34 % of children and is considered a major public health problem. As more and more children suffer from overweight, health professionals need to find effective methods of obesity prevention and treatment. The purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of family behavioral therapy in the treatment of obese children. Materials and methods. For one year, 57 obese patients aged 7–12 years were under observation, they were randomly divided into 2 groups: a treatment group of 34 children (I) and a comparison group of 23 people (II). Group I children participated in the family behavioral treatment program, which included hypocaloric nutrition, control over the family environment, and dosed, controlled physical activity. The blood lipid spectrum was studied by the level of total cholesterol (TCh), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-Ch) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-Ch). Results. In obese children, both systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were elevated (mean of 125.9 ± 0.9 mm Hg and 66.9 ± 1.2 mm Hg, respectively), an increase in the concentration of TCh, TG, and LDL-Ch was detected. One year after family behavioral therapy, body mass index in obese children decreased from 26.8 to 25.1 kg/m², changes in SBP and DBP were statistically significant between groups (group I: SBP before was 124.9 ± 0.8 mm Hg, after — 118.9 ± 0.9 mm Hg, p < 0.05; DBP was 65.7 ± 1.2 mm Hg and 62.1 ± 1.0 mm Hg, respectively, p < 0.05; group II: SBP before the program was 125.1 ± 0.7 mm Hg, after — 126.9 ± 0.8 mm Hg, p > 0.05, DBP was 66.6 ± 1.1 mm Hg and 67.7 ± 1.2 mm Hg, respectively, p > 0.05), and there were also significant changes in blood lipids: the level of cholesterol decreased by 0.87 times, TG — by 0.94 times, with a tendency to LDL-Ch decrease and HDL-Ch increase. Conclusions. Multicomponent family behavioral therapy is effective in reducing the body mass index of obese children. The obtained results indicate the need to apply the proposed treatment program in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]