New research reveals that nonmedical professionals without prior
pediatric weight control experience can be trained to effectively
deliver a childhood obesity treatment program and produce meaningful
results.
The results of the study, which focused on JOIN for ME®
– a community-based, pediatric obesity intervention program developed by
UnitedHealth Group – will help efforts to scale the initiative
nationally. The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal International
Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (Feb. 13,
2014).
Researchers evaluated the JOIN for ME facilitators who did not have a
medical background to identify key characteristics needed to effectively
deliver the program, including interpersonal skills and ability to
manage group interactions. They also looked at how closely the
facilitators adhered to the protocol. Researchers then evaluated the
relationship between facilitator characteristics and adherence to
protocol with the level of weight reduction among participants. They
found that there was a correlation between protocol adherence and a
decrease in weight among participants.
A study published in the October 2012 issue of Pediatrics
showed JOIN For ME resulted in a clinically significant reduction in
excess weight and improved health-related quality of life among
overweight and obese children. This follow-up research on facilitators
aimed to find ways to make the program’s success sustainable and broaden
its reach.
“An important factor in making community-based treatment programs work
is ensuring the group facilitator can both deliver the evidence-based
content and engage with children and families who are enrolled,” said
Deborah Sundal, senior vice president of UnitedHealth Group’s Center for
Health Reform & Modernization and one of the report’s authors. “Our
study found that it is important to invest in training nonmedical
professionals to deliver the JOIN for ME content and consistently use
group-facilitation skills. When both are used optimally, we see higher
family engagement and better results, including a reduction of excess
weight.”
JOIN for ME, which was piloted with the YMCA of the USA and the YMCA of
Greater Providence, R.I., engaged overweight and obese kids ages six to
17, along with their parents, in a series of learning sessions. The goal
was for the children to achieve healthier weight through balanced
nutrition choices, increased activity and monitoring behaviors. The
sessions were conducted by YMCA staff with no previous training in
pediatric obesity.
Study Results
After six months, participants in the
JOIN for ME pilot achieved, on average, a 3.4 percent reduction in
excess weight. The researchers also found that 10 percent fewer children
were in the obese category after enrolling in the program, which means
that, if scaled nationally, JOIN for ME has the potential to make
tremendous health and economic impacts.
The study also revealed significant improvements in child health-related
quality of life (measured by the 23-item Pediatric Quality of Life
Inventory), as reported by both children and parents, and that the
participants who attended a higher number of face-to-face group sessions
experienced greater weight loss. Parents of participants in the study
also experienced small, but statistically significant, reductions in
weight.
The facilitator study is important because, to be effective, affordable
and have the broadest impact, such interventions will require a large
number of facilitators, many of whom may not be medical professionals.
“It is imperative that we find new ways to broaden the availability and
impact of effective treatment for childhood obesity,” said Elissa
Jelalian, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior,
Alpert Medical School of Brown University and one of the study’s
authors. “This includes making evidence-based programs more broadly
available in primary care clinical settings, partnering with community
organizations to deliver them, and training nonmedical professionals to
engage children under a clinician’s supervision. By training
facilitators who may not have previous experience in pediatric weight
management, we can expand the program nationally to more families
seeking care.”
National Crisis
Childhood obesity is an epidemic in
the United States. While Federal health authorities reported in late
February a 43 percent drop in the obesity
rate among two- to five-year-old children over the past decade, there is
still a great deal of work to be done, as obesity among youth puts them
at grave risk for cancer,
heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
About one-third of all American children ages six to 18 are obese or
overweight, leading to increased health risks and higher health care
costs, and a decrease in parents’ productivity at work, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Obesity affects 17
percent of all children and adolescents in the United States – nearly
triple the rate from just 30 years ago – according to the CDC.
JOIN for ME is a 16-week childhood obesity program that builds a network
of family support for children who struggle with extra weight. In the
JOIN for ME classes, a child and parent participate together in group
classes at local Ys, Boys & Girls Clubs or other community locations.
Sessions are led by a trained facilitator and cover topics such as
reducing less healthy foods and drinks, getting and staying active,
managing screen time, improving sleep habits, and understanding the link
between moods and foods.
JOIN for ME focuses on helping children who struggle with extra weight,
underscoring the importance of cultivating a healthier environment and
healthier behaviors at home with the entire family. To read the article
in the Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity,
click here.
UnitedHealthcare offers JOIN for ME to people enrolled in
employer-provided health insurance plans or government-sponsored
Medicaid managed care plans in select markets.
About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth
Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company
dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making health care
work better. With headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn., UnitedHealth Group
offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct
platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and
benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and
technology-enabled health services. Through its businesses, UnitedHealth
Group serves more than 85 million people worldwide. For more
information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com.
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Copyright Business Wire 2014