Weight-loss Treatment Program in Children and Adolescents

Healthy Weight Development Among Children and Adolescents in the Central Denmark Region

The study will evaluate the effect of an existing municipality-based and hospital-based obesity treatment in children and adolescents in relation to weight loss and motivation. This is to ensure that children who have developed obesity have the possibility to obtain a healthier lifestyle, including a healthier body weight during their school years. This study will test whether an obesity treatment program designed for school children can reduce the degree of overweight in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Weight Loss; Childhood Obesity; Health Behavior; Motivation
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: ROS "chubby and healthy" - a multidisciplinary family-based weight-loss treatment program; Behavioral: Overweight Clinic for Children and Adolescents; Behavioral: Family Nutrition Guidance

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 700

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 2 years to 19 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of children and adolescents with overweight or obesity primarily living in Viborg, Skive, and Holstebro municipalities. Participants were offered either municipality-based treatment or a specialized hospital-based program. Municipality-based programs were delivered at local schools or health centers by health nurses or dietitians. The hospital-based program, offered by the Central Denmark Region, required referral from a general practitioner, school health nurse, or community-based physician.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 2-18 years old
• BMI SDS above the 90th percentile

Exclusion Criteria:

• Reached a BMI SDS below the 75th percentile
• Attained 19 years of age

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in BMI during weight-loss program of childhood overweight and obesity	The primary objective is to investigate the changes in BMI z-score among children and adolescents with overweight or obesity who participated in a municipality-based or hospital-based weight-loss program, and whether existing characteristics of the child and parents at baseline modify this association. In addition we also want to characterize those who do not respond to treatment either because they gain or regain BMI z-score, or drop-out of the weight-loss program.	December 2022 - February 2026

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Aarhus

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 30, 2022
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 14, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 16, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): March 30, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): September 2, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 29, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Childhood obesity treatment
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nutrition Disorders; Overnutrition; Body Weight; Body Weight Changes; Overweight; Obesity; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Weight Loss; Pediatric Obesity; Health Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: Healthy weight in children

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No