Adolescent Higher Body Weight

Behavioural lifestyle interventions for adolescents with higher body weight have generally produced only modest weight loss and small quality-of-life improvements. Behavioural lifestyle interventions have not been shown in recent reviews to increase depression, anxiety, or eating disorder risk in adolescents with higher body weight. More than 80% of adolescents in Canadian paediatric weight management clinics have at least one mental health disorder or social stressor. Adolescents with higher body weight have 13-fold higher odds of impaired psychosocial health compared with low-risk peers. Attrition rates around 40% are common in paediatric weight management clinics in Canada and the USA. About 50% of adolescents presenting to Canadian paediatric weight management centres are expected to have mild-to-moderate depression. The trial uses a destigmatising approach that targets behaviours rather than a specific weight goal.