Changes in eating disorder symptoms with pediatric obesity treatment

Objective: To evaluate the effects of behavioral, family-based treatment on disordered eating and child behavior problems for obese 8- to 12-year-old children. Study design: We examined disordered eating in children and parents using the Kids' Eating Disorder Survey (KEDS) and the Binge Eating Scale, respectively; and psychologic problems in children and their parents using the Child Behavior Checklist and Symptom Checklist-90, respectively, in 47 families who participated in a family-based obesity treatment program. Results: Obese children showed significant decreases (-12.5 ± 13.5) in percent overweight, internalizing problems (-7.0 ± 7.3), and total behavior problems (-4.8 ± 6.6) and increases in behavioral competence (3.7 ± 5.0) over 2 years of measurement; and their parents showed significant decreases in weight (-5.0 ± 8.3 kg) and reductions in parental distress (-2.3 ± 7.6) and in disturbed eating and weight-related cognition (-3.2 ± 5.3). No significant changes were observed in total KEDS (-0.2 ± 1.9), weight dissatisfaction (-0.3 ± 1.7), or purging/restricting (0.2 ± 0.6) scores. Decreases in total KEDS were related to decreases in total behavior problems and externalizing behavior problems. Conclusions: These results document improvements in child behavior problems and competence and no change in symptoms of disordered eating in a standardized behavioral weight control program.