TY - JOUR A1 - Gmeiner, Michaela Silvia A1 - Warschburger, Petra T1 - Intrapersonal predictors of weight bias internalization among elementary school children BT - a prospective analysis JF - BMC Pediatrics N2 - Background Weight-related stigmatization is a widespread problem. Particularly the internalization of weight-related stereotypes and prejudices (weight bias internalization, WBI) is related to mental and physical health impairments. To date, little is known about the risk factors of WBI. Previous studies are mainly cross-sectional and based on adult samples. As childhood is a sensitive period for the development of a healthy self-concept, we examined predictors of WBI in children. Methods The final sample included 1,463 schoolchildren (6–11 years, 51.7% female) who took part in a prospective study consisting of three measurement waves. The first two waves delivered data on objective weight status and self-reported weight-related teasing, body dissatisfaction, relevance of one’s own figure, self-esteem and depressive symptoms; WBI was measured during the third wave. To examine predictors of WBI, we ran hierarchical regression analyses and exploratory mediation analyses. Results Lower parental education level, higher child weight status, female gender, experience of teasing, higher body dissatisfaction, higher figure-relevance, and higher depression scores were found to be predictive for higher WBI scores. Body dissatisfaction (only for girls) and the relevance of one’s own figure (both genders) mediated the association between self-esteem and WBI; no weight-related differences were observed. Conclusions Our study offers longitudinal evidence for variables that enable the identification of children who are at risk for WBI. Thus, the findings deliver starting points for interventions aimed at the prevention of adverse health developments that come along with WBI. KW - Weight bias internalization KW - Self-stigmatization KW - Weight KW - Children KW - Predictors Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02264-w SN - 1471-2431 VL - 20 PB - BioMed Central CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Warschburger, Petra A1 - Kröller, Katja A1 - Haerting, Johannes A1 - Unverzagt, Susanne A1 - van Egmond-Fröhlich, Andreas T1 - Empowering Parents of Obese Children (EPOC): A randomized controlled trial on additional long-term weight effects of parent training JF - Appetite : multidisciplinary research on eating and drinking N2 - Although inpatient lifestyle treatment for obese children and adolescents can be highly effective in the short term, long-term results are unconvincing. One possible explanation might be that the treatment takes place far from parents' homes, limiting the possibility to incorporate the parents, who play a major role in establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in childhood and adolescence. The main goal was to develop a brief behaviorally oriented parent training program that enhances ‘obesity-specific’ parenting skills in order to prevent relapse. We hypothesized that the inclusion of additional parent training would lead to an improved long-term weight course of obese children. Parents of obese children (n = 686; 7–13 years old) either participated in complementary cognitive-behavioral group sessions (n = 336) or received written information only (n = 350) during the inpatient stay. Children of both groups attended multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation. BMI-SDS as a primary outcome was evaluated at baseline, post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Intention-to-treat (ITT) as well as per-protocol analyses (PPA) were performed. A significant within-group decrease of 0.24 (95% CI 0.18 to 0.30) BMI-SDS points from the beginning of the inpatient stay through the first year was found, but no group difference at the one-year follow-up (mean difference 0.02; 95% CI -0.04 to 0.07). We also observed an increase in quality of life scores, intake of healthy food and exercise for both groups, without differences between groups (ITT and PPA). Thus, while the inpatient treatment proved highly effective, additional parent training did not lead to better results in long-term weight maintenance or to better psychosocial well-being compared to written psycho-educational material. Further research should focus on subgroups to answer the question of differential treatment effects. KW - Obesity KW - Children KW - Randomized controlled trial KW - Weight KW - Parent training KW - Quality of life Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.04.007 SN - 0195-6663 SN - 1095-8304 VL - 103 SP - 148 EP - 156 PB - Elsevier CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Warschburger, Petra T1 - SRT-Joy - computer-assisted self-regulation training for obese children and adolescents: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial JF - Trials N2 - Background: Obesity is not only a highly prevalent disease but also poses a considerable burden on children and their families. Evidence is increasing that a lack of self-regulation skills may play a role in the etiology and maintenance of obesity. Our goal with this currently ongoing trial is to examine whether training that focuses on the enhancement of self-regulation skills may increase the sustainability of a complex lifestyle intervention. Methods/Design: In a multicenter, prospective, parallel group, randomized controlled superiority trial, 226 obese children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 years will be allocated either to a newly developed computer-training program to improve their self-regulation abilities or to a placebo control group. Randomization occurs centrally and blockwise at a 1:1 allocation ratio for each center. This study is performed in pediatric inpatient rehabilitation facilities specialized in the treatment of obesity. Observer-blind assessments of outcome variables take place at four times: at the beginning of the rehabilitation (pre), at the end of the training in the rehabilitation (post), and 6 and 12 months post-rehabilitation intervention. The primary outcome is the course of BMI-SDS over 1 year after the end of the inpatient rehabilitation. Secondary endpoints are the self-regulation skills. In addition, health-related quality of life, and snack intake will be analyzed. Discussion: The computer-based training programs might be a feasible and attractive tool to increase the sustainability of the weight loss reached during inpatient rehabilitation. KW - Obesity KW - Randomized-controlled trial KW - Computer-assisted self-regulation training KW - Children KW - Adolescents KW - Weight Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-1078-2 SN - 1745-6215 VL - 16 PB - BioMed Central CY - London ER -