Youth in an intervention arm showed greater relative increase in percent of the 95th percentile of BMI<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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MONDAY, Jan. 29, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A motivational interviewing (MI) strategy seems not to be effective for reducing childhood obesity, with youth in the intervention arm gaining more weight, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/p>\n Ken Resnicow, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues randomly assigned 18 pediatric primary care practices to receive the Brief Motivational Interviewing to Reduce BMI [body mass index] <\/em>(BMI2+<\/sup>) intervention or continue with usual care (UC). The intervention was composed of four components: four sessions of in-person and telehealth MI counseling by pediatric clinicians; six telephone MI counseling sessions with a registered dietitian; text message reminders and tailored motivational messages; and educational materials for parents. The change in the percentage of the 95th percentile of BMI was assessed as the main outcome.<\/p>\n The researchers found that for the main outcome, there was a significant treatment-by-time interaction, favoring the UC group (b<\/em> = 0.017). A greater relative increase in the percent of the 95th percentile of BMI was seen for youth in the intervention arm.<\/p>\n “MI delivered by pediatric clinicians and registered dietitians did not improve the weight status of participating children,” the authors write. “Methodologic and cultural factors as well as the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to our findings.”<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n