Exploring the association between individual, family, and program characteristics and change in health outcomes 12 months after enrollment into the CANadian Pediatric Weight management Registry (CANPWR)

Objectives

To examine individual, family, and program characteristics associated with changes in anthropometric and cardiometabolic health indicators in children with overweight or obesity after participating in multidisciplinary obesity management for 12 months.

Methods

Participants included children 2–17 years old with overweight or obesity enrolled in the CANadian Pediatric Weight Management Registry (CANPWR). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between individual, family, and program characteristics and changes in anthropometry (WHO BMI z-score) and cardiometabolic health indicators (systolic and diastolic blood pressure; fasting and 2-h glucose post-oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT); high density lipoprotein- (HDL) and non-HDL cholesterol and fasting triglycerides).

Results

BMI z-score data were available from 1065/1286 (82.8%) at 6-months post-baseline and 893/1286 (69.4%) at 12-months post-baseline. At 6-months, BMI z-score decreased relative to baseline (mean difference (MD) [95% confidence interval (CI)] = −0.08 [−0.10 to −0.06]; p < 0.001). BMI z-score (MD [95% CI] = −0.08 [−0.13 to −0.04); p = 0.001) and fasting triglycerides (MD [95% CI] = −0.07 [−0.13 to −0.02); p = 0.011) decreased at 12 months from baseline. Older age at baseline (estimated β = 0.025; 95% CI [0.006, 0.042], p = 0.007) and female sex (estimated β = 0.241; 95% CI [0.108, 0.329], p < 0.001) were associated with a worsened Δ BMI z-score at 12 months, while total hours with mental health provider (estimated β = −0.015; 95% CI [−0.030, −0.001], p = 0.049) was associated with an improved Δ BMI z-score at 12 months. Hours with an exercise counselor (estimated β = 0.023; 95% CI [0.008, 0.039], p = 0.003) were associated with improved HDL, while hours with a registered dietitian (estimated β = −0.026; 95% CI [−0.051, −0.001], p = 0.044) were associated with improved non-HDL cholesterol.

Conclusions

Male sex and hours spent with a mental health provider, exercise counselor, and registered dietitian were related to significant improvements in several anthropometric and cardiometabolic health indicators at 12 months post-baseline.