Primary Care Research Network for the Treatment of Adolescent Obesity

The broad objective is to establish a Center of Excellence for Research on Obesity at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) that will create a statewide, collaborative research network to develop and test effective treatments for reducing adolescent obesity and related medical co-morbidities in underserved populations. Collaborating institutions include Lincoln University (LU), Geisinger Health System (GHS), and the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). Given the locations of these institutions, we will focus on urban African Americans and Latinos and rural Caucasian adolescents. The novelty of this program will be the use of a family-based, lifestyle modification program within the pediatric primary care setting with interdisciplinary teams trained to treat obese adolescents. Specific aims are to: a) design, implement, and evaluate improved treatments for obese teenagers, b) conduct focus groups and treatment development projects to better understand the needs of these populations and c) train, minority students and faculty to become healthcare research professionals. The primary research project will be a randomized clinical trial occurring at two sites: CHOP and GHS. In a four-year study, 156 adolescents (ages 12-16) will be randomized to either a one-year, 23 session, multi-family, group based Lifestyle Modification Program known as the Group Condition, or to a one-year, six-session Self-Guided Condition. Both Group and Self-Guided will be tested as possible treatment protocols for primary care pediatric practice.

The primary aim is to compare the effectiveness of these two treatments in reducing body mass index (BMI) at 12 months. Secondary aims will compare impact of the treatments on reduction of risk factors related to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including lipids, glucose and insulin, waist circumference, blood pressure, and measures of appetite. Further, the effectiveness of these two treatments in reducing BMI at 15 and 18 months will also be analyzed. Training aims will be met through collaboration with Lincoln University to set up undergraduate summer internships, graduate assistantships, and faculty development. Other methods for achieving the objectives of the Center include: a) establishing a multidisciplinary advisory board consisting of parents, providers, and researchers; b) providing clinical training in obesity treatment for doctors, nurses, dieticians, and behavioral interventionists at our collaborating institutions (CHOP and GHS); c) making all protocols and materials culturally sensitive to the populations they serve; and d) carrying out treatment development activities to tailor the manuals for Latino youth and their families.