Sustained effects after a multidisciplinary lifestyle modification program for children with excess weight and children affected with obesity.

Background: Lifestyle modification (LM) is the mainstay in the management of obese children. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of a pediatric cohort participating in a hospital-based LM program.

Methods: Overweight/obese children and adolescents who visited a multidisciplinary LM program "The Health and Vitality Clinic" were included. Data on weight and height were collected at 6, 12, and 18 months following the initial visit. The changes in body mass index (BMI) and BMI z-score were analyzed.

Results: A total of 120 participants aged 5-18 years who visited the clinic were included. Sixty-one subjects who completed > 1 months (up to a maximum of 5 months) of the LM program constituted the LM group, while those who visited the clinic once were characterized as hospital-control (HC) group. There was a significant reduction in BMI at 6 and 12 months in the LM group, and at 6 months in the HC group, with a greater reduction observed in the LM group at 6 and 12 months (-1.05 ± 1.46 vs. -0.42 ± 1.21, p = 0.027; -0.87 ± 1.46 vs. -0.14 ± 1.43, p = 0.038, respectively). Both groups showed a downward trend in BMI z-score at 6, 12, and 18 months, with the LM group showing a greater reduction at the 6 months (-0.33 ± 0.28 vs. -0.22 ± 0.18, p = 0.019). BMI decline was more pronounced in adolescents than in children, showing variations in weight gains based on age.

Conclusions: The study demonstrated lasting effects in BMI and BMI z-score following the completion of the LM program.