Group Sessions and Web-based Treatment Targeting Children With Obesity Age 5-12 Years and Their Families - a Randomized Controlled Trial of Children With Obesity in Northern Sweden

Obesity in children and adolescents worldwide has increased from 1 % in 1975 to about 6 % in 2016. Experts have estimated that the world will have more obese children and adolescents than underweight at the year 2022. Preventing and reversing excess weight gain in children is important since obesity often tracks into adulthood with adverse health consequences.

Web-based interventions have been shown to be effective, to have a beneficial treatment outcome and have been proposed to have great potential to reach many children and improve cost effectiveness.

This is a randomized controlled study with cross-over design. The intervention consist of a doctor's appointment, four group-based education sessions over four weeks, psychical activity on prescription and a 12-week web-based treatment program. The control group will have standard care treatment consisting of doctor's appointment and, in some cases, contact with dietician.