Treatment of Pediatric Overweight: An Examination of Feasibility and Effectiveness in an Applied Clinical Setting

Objective To examine the effectiveness and feasibility of an evidence-based treatment for weight loss in children. Methods A total of 41 children who were overweight and their families were provided a modified version of the Traffic Light Diet (TLD) in an applied setting. Children who received treatment as usual (TAU) constituted a comparison sample. Results Children receiving the modified TLD demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in standardized body mass index (z-BMI) than children receiving TAU. Conclusions The TLD is a feasible treatment that can be implemented in applied settings that include samples often excluded from treatment efficacy studies. Results are discussed in the context of bridging the gap between science and service. Key words applied setting; childhood overweight; effectiveness; Traffic Light Diet. In the United States, slightly over 17 % of all school-aged children are classified as overweight, and the prev-alence of overweight has significantly increased over the past four decades (Ogden et al., 2006). In addition to children becoming more overweight, overweight children have consistently been getting heavier (Jolliffe, 2004). Furthermore, more overweight has been seen in children at younger ages over the past two decades (Ogden et al., 2006). This is particularly concerning because of the associated health and psychological con-sequences (Reilly, 2005). On the basis of this alarming increase, the National Institutes of Health has identified the reduction of overweight in children as a primary goal under its current health initiative, Healthy Peopl