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Cost-effectiveness of group and mixed family-based treatment for childhood obesity

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 1843–1849 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Family-based, behavioral treatment has been shown to be an effective intervention for the management of pediatric obesity. The goal of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of two protocols for the delivery of family-based behavioral treatment.

REASEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Thirty-one families with obese children were randomized to groups in which families were provided mixed treatment incorporating both group and individualized treatment vs group treatment only. Cost-effectiveness of treatment was defined as the magnitude of reduction in standardized BMI and percentage overweight per dollar spent for recruitment and treatment. Anthropometric data were assessed at baseline, 6 months and 12 months post-randomization.

RESULTS: Results for the 24 families with complete data showed the group intervention was significantly more cost-effective than the mixed treatment. This was due to the similarity between the two groups in Z-BMI or percentage overweight change for children and their parents, while the mixed treatment was significantly more expensive to deliver than the group treatment.

DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that a family-based, behavioral intervention employing group treatment alone is a more cost-effective approach to treating pediatric obesity than a mixed group plus individual format.

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Acknowledgements

Preparation of the manuscript was funded in part by grant DK 53849 awarded to Dr Epstein by the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive Diseases, National Institute of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mental Health Research, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ontario, Canada

    GS Goldfield

  2. Departments of Pediatrics, Social and Preventive Medicine, and Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, New York, USA

    LH Epstein, CK Kilanowski & RA Paluch

  3. Research Institute on Addictions, State University of New York at Buffalo, New York, USA

    B Kogut-Bossler

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  1. GS Goldfield
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  2. LH Epstein
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  3. CK Kilanowski
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  4. RA Paluch
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  5. B Kogut-Bossler
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Correspondence to LH Epstein.

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Goldfield, G., Epstein, L., Kilanowski, C. et al. Cost-effectiveness of group and mixed family-based treatment for childhood obesity. Int J Obes 25, 1843–1849 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801838

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