Cost-effectiveness of group and mixed family-based treatment for childhood obesity

Objective: Family-based, behavioral treatment has been shown to be an effective intervention for the management of pediatric obesity. The goal of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of two protocols for the delivery of family-based behavioral treatment. Research methods and procedures: Thirty-one families with obese children were randomized to groups in which families were provided mixed treatment incorporating both group and individualized treatment vs group treatment only. Cost-effectiveness of treatment was defined as the magnitude of reduction in standardized BMI and percentage overweight per dollar spent for recruitment and treatment. Anthropometric data were assessed at baseline, 6 months and 12 months post-randomization. Results: Results for the 24 families with complete data showed the group intervention was significantly more cost-effective than the mixed treatment. This was due to the similarity between the two groups in Z-BMI or percentage overweight change for children and their parents, while the mixed treatment was significantly more expensive to deliver than the group treatment. Discussion: These findings suggest that a family-based, behavioral intervention employing group treatment alone is a more cost-effective approach to treating pediatric obesity than a mixed group plus individual format.