Design of the FRESH-teen study: A randomized controlled trial evaluating an adapted emotion regulation weight loss program for adolescents with overweight or obesity and their parent.

Carol B Peterson, Scott Engel, Kyung E Rhee, Michael A Manzano, Rebecca S Bernard, David R Strong, Dawn M Eichen, Kerri N Boutelle, Ellen K Pasquale, Alec Miller

Journal: Contemporary clinical trials 2024;145():107640

PMID: 39079614

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Overweight and obesity affect >40% of adolescents. Family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) is the most efficacious behavioral treatment for weight management among youth and consists of nutrition and physical activity education, behavior change skills, and parent skills training. However, the efficacy of FBT decreases for youth as they get older. Increased emotional lability and limited emotion regulation skills may contribute to the reduced efficacy of FBT for adolescents. To date, there are no treatments for overweight or obesity specifically adapted for the needs of adolescents. We developed a treatment that integrates components from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Emotion Focused Therapy with FBT (FBT+ER or FBT-ER) to address the specific needs of adolescents. The current study randomized 166 adolescents (BMI = 32.8; 14.3 years; 57% female; 32% Hispanic, 50% Non-Hispanic White, 18% Non-Hispanic and Non-White) and one of their parents (BMI = 32.9; 45.3 years; 85% female; 27% Hispanic, 57% Non-Hispanic White, 16% Non-Hispanic and Non-White) to 6 months of either standard FBT or FBT+ at 2 sites. Assessments were conducted at baseline, mid-treatment (month 3), post-treatment (month 6), 6-month follow-up (month 12) and 12-month follow-up (month 18). Primary outcomes are adolescent weight (BMIz/%BMIp95), emotion regulation skills, and emotional eating behaviors. Given the public health concern of adolescent obesity, FBT+ could prove extremely useful to provide more targeted and effective intervention for adolescents with overweight or obesity. CLINICAL TRIALS: # NCT03674944.

Address: Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.; Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.; Sanford Research, 120 S. 8(th) St., Fargo, ND 58103, USA.; Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1 North Broadway Room: 704, White Plains, NY 10601, USA.; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, F282/2A West 2450 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107640

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MeSH Terms: Adolescent, Female, Humans, Male, Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotional Regulation, Family Therapy, Overweight, Parents, Pediatric Obesity, Research Design, Weight Loss, Weight Reduction Programs, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic