A Family Based Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Children
Condition: Pediatric Obesity; Type 2 Diabetes; Metabolic Syndrome
MeSH terms: Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Metabolic Syndrome; Pediatric Obesity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study was to determine if a family-focused lifestyle intervention helps
      to improve the health status, behaviors, and adjustment of overweight children.
    

Detailed description: 
      Type 2 diabetes (DM2), and obesity is increasing dramatically in the United States and
      worldwide among children. Even before children are diagnosed with DM2, they often show signs
      such as being overweight, having high blood pressure, abnormal lipid metabolism, and impaired
      glucose tolerance that put them at risk for other diseases, such as heart disease. In
      addition, children who are at risk for DM2 also face elevated risks of other major medical
      complications along with psychological and social consequences (e.g., depression, teasing,
      discrimination, school problems), which can often be just as damaging as the medical
      problems. Since obesity plays an important role in the progression to DM2, the need to
      prevent children from progressing to a diagnosis of DM2 is critical.

      The proposed study was a randomized controlled trial comparing an education group for
      families of children at high risk for progression to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes
      with a family-focused multi-component lifestyle intervention. The study addressed these
      specific aims:

        1. Evaluated the effects of a family-focused lifestyle intervention on the health status of
           children at risk of metabolic syndrome (BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, impaired
           glucose tolerance, waist circumference).

        2. Evaluated the effects of a family focused psychosocial treatment on the health behaviors
           of children at risk for developing metabolic syndrome (eating behaviors, physical
           activity).

        3. Evaluated the effects of a family focused psychosocial treatment on psychological
           outcomes of children at risk of developing metabolic syndrome (overall behavioral
           functioning, perception, self esteem, depression, quality of life).

        4. Analyzed variables that are predictive of maintenance or termination of engagement in
           the family-focused lifestyle intervention.

      It was hypothesized that this intervention approach will result in: a) improved health status
      and a reduction of risk for developing metabolic syndrome (BMI, waist circumference, blood
      pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels), b) improved health behaviors (physical activity,
      diet), and c) generalize to more optimal psychosocial functioning (depression,
      self-perception, quality of life, school attendance) at short and long-term follow-up of the
      children in the intervention group compared with children in the education group.
    

Intervention name(s): Family Focused Lifestyle Intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The lifestyle intervention is a 6-month intervention study lasting 6 months. The intervention is 14 sessions and conducted by a dietician and psychologist in a group setting with each intervention session lasting 90 minutes. The sessions are conducted weekly, biweekly, and monthly over the course of 6 months.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: family-focused intervention; pediatric obesity; diabetes prevention