TY - JOUR

T1 - Disturbed eating behaviours do not impact treatment response in a paediatric obesity chronic care treatment programme

AU - Fogh, Mette

AU - Lund, Morten A. V.

AU - Mollerup, Pernille M.

AU - Johansen, Mia O.

AU - Melskens, Rikke H.

AU - Trier, Caecilie

AU - Kloppenborg, Julie T.

AU - Hansen, Torben

AU - Holm, Jens-Christian

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - AimThis study investigates the prevalence of disturbed eating behaviours in children and adolescents initiating obesity treatment, and how the prevalence varies with age, sex and body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS). Secondly, it examines whether the presence of disturbed eating behaviours at enrolment is associated with the degree of weight loss after 12months of treatment. MethodsA total of 3621 patients aged 3-18years enrolled in a multidisciplinary obesity treatment programme were studied. Follow-up data after a median of 12.4 months were available for 2055 patients. Upon entry, patients were assessed for the following disturbed eating behaviours: meal skipping, emotional eating, overeating and rapid eating. Height and weight were measured at baseline and follow-up. ResultsAt enrolment, median age was 11.4years, median BMI SDS was 2.87, and 82.2% of patients exhibited one or more disturbed eating behaviours. The prevalence of meal skipping, emotional eating and rapid eating increased with age (P <0.01). Patients who reported overeating or rapid eating exhibited a 0.06-0.11 higher BMI SDS at enrolment than patients without these disturbed eating behaviours (P <0.02). After 1year of treatment, BMI SDS was reduced in 75.7% of patients, and the median reduction was 0.24 (95% confidence interval: 0.22-0.27). Overeating was associated with a higher degree of weight loss, while meal skipping, emotional eating and rapid eating did not associate with the degree of weight loss at follow-up. ConclusionsDisturbed eating behaviours were highly prevalent in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity, and varied with age and sex. After 1year of treatment, the degree of obesity improved, regardless of the presence of disturbed eating behaviours at treatment initiation.

AB - AimThis study investigates the prevalence of disturbed eating behaviours in children and adolescents initiating obesity treatment, and how the prevalence varies with age, sex and body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS). Secondly, it examines whether the presence of disturbed eating behaviours at enrolment is associated with the degree of weight loss after 12months of treatment. MethodsA total of 3621 patients aged 3-18years enrolled in a multidisciplinary obesity treatment programme were studied. Follow-up data after a median of 12.4 months were available for 2055 patients. Upon entry, patients were assessed for the following disturbed eating behaviours: meal skipping, emotional eating, overeating and rapid eating. Height and weight were measured at baseline and follow-up. ResultsAt enrolment, median age was 11.4years, median BMI SDS was 2.87, and 82.2% of patients exhibited one or more disturbed eating behaviours. The prevalence of meal skipping, emotional eating and rapid eating increased with age (P <0.01). Patients who reported overeating or rapid eating exhibited a 0.06-0.11 higher BMI SDS at enrolment than patients without these disturbed eating behaviours (P <0.02). After 1year of treatment, BMI SDS was reduced in 75.7% of patients, and the median reduction was 0.24 (95% confidence interval: 0.22-0.27). Overeating was associated with a higher degree of weight loss, while meal skipping, emotional eating and rapid eating did not associate with the degree of weight loss at follow-up. ConclusionsDisturbed eating behaviours were highly prevalent in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity, and varied with age and sex. After 1year of treatment, the degree of obesity improved, regardless of the presence of disturbed eating behaviours at treatment initiation.

KW - child nutrition disorder

KW - eating behaviour

KW - food habit

KW - paediatric obesity

KW - weight loss

U2 - 10.1111/jpc.14678

DO - 10.1111/jpc.14678

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31693771

VL - 56

SP - 542

EP - 549

JO - Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

JF - Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

SN - 1034-4810

IS - 4

ER -