Journal article
Prevention of Excess Weight Gain Among Adolescent Military-Dependents at High Risk for Obesity
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
03/09/2026
DOI: 10.1002/oby.70165
PMID: 41797473
Abstract
Given their unique psychosocial milieu, military-dependent youth (children of service members) may be vulnerable to excess weight gain, adverse cardiometabolic health, and binge eating. This study aimed to test the effects of group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), relative to a standard-of-care health education (HE) group, on these outcomes in adolescent military-dependents.
Military-dependent 12 to 17-year-olds with BMI ≥ 85th percentile and elevated anxiety and/or recent loss-of-control-eating participated in a multisite cluster randomized controlled trial comparing 12 weeks of adapted group IPT, targeting psychosocial problems, to a HE group. BMI, cardiometabolic health, and binge eating were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 1-year follow-up. BMI and cardiometabolic variables were measured or retrieved from electronic medical records at 2- and 3-year follow-ups.
We were not able to recruit a fully powered trial; however, we analyzed data from 153 adolescent military-dependents (43.8% boys) with LOC-eating and/or high anxiety. There were no group differences between IPT and HE on outcomes. Some improvements in BMI indices, glucose regulation, and binge eating (p < 0.001) were observed across both groups.
Group-based interventions may positively impact weight trajectories and cardiometabolic health among adolescent military-dependents. Future studies should elucidate potential moderators and mechanisms of interventions on outcomes in this important population.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02671292.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Prevention of Excess Weight Gain Among Adolescent Military-Dependents at High Risk for Obesity
- Creators
- Lisa M Ranzenhofer - University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkLisa M Shank - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesKatherine Thompson - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesNatasha Schvey - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesDenise E Wilfley - Washington University in St. LouisJami F Young - Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaNatasha L Burke - Fordham UniversityCara H Olsen - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesJason M Lavender - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesRuby Schrag - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesSarah Jorgensen - University of IowaJeffrey Quinlan - University of IowaDavid A Klein - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesMark Haigney - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesJack A Yanovski - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentTracy Sbrocco - Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesMarian Tanofsky-Kraff - Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
- DOI
- 10.1002/oby.70165
- PMID
- 41797473
- NLM abbreviation
- Obesity (Silver Spring)
- ISSN
- 1930-739X
- eISSN
- 1930-739X
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Grant note
- 1R01DK104115 / NIDDK NIH HHS HU00012120008 / Defense Health Agency Intramural Research Program ZIAHD000641 / NIH HHS
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 03/09/2026
- Academic Unit
- Family and Community Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9985143127402771
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