Pediatric quality of life multidimensional fatigue scale (PedsQL-MFS) detects the effects of a 3-week Inpatient body weight reduction program for children and adolescents with obesity

Abstract

Background Fatigue is a frequent complaint amongst children and adolescents with obesity, and it interferes with adherence to dietary and exercise regimes that could reduce obesity. The present study evaluated the effect of an inpatient 3-week body weight reduction program on body weight and fatigue. Method One hundred children and adolescents with obesity (64% female; aged 11–18 years) undertook an inpatient program of personalized diet, daily exercise, education, and counselling. Results The sample evidenced a mean reduction in body mass (females: ΔM = 4.3 (sd = 2.1) kg, p < .001), males: ΔM = 6.2 (sd = 2.6) kg, p < .001), BMI standard deviation score (females: ΔM = 0.17 (sd = 0.07), males: ΔM = 0.24 (sd = 0.08), p < .001) and fatigue (females: ΔM = 7.8 (sd = 9.7), males: ΔM = 5.0 (sd = 6.9), p < .001) as measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL-MFS) and improvements on the Attention problems subscale of the Youth Self Report (total sample: ΔM = 0.89 (sd = 2.44), p < .001). Reliable change analyses revealed fatigue changes were achieved by up to 34% females and 17% males, but the majority did not achieve reliable change and changes in fatigue were not correlated with changes in body mass. Conclusions The program achieved clinically significant improvements in some children and adolescents. Future studies should explore predictors of treatment responsiveness. Trial registration Observational study. Not registered.

Beyond bariatric surgery and weight loss medicaments. A systematic review of the current practice in obesity rehabilitative inpatient programs in adults and pediatrics

“…Some studies (46,53,58) have been judged as a possible source of deviation bias (serious risk) since no fixed diet was provided and ad libitum or normocaloric diets were chosen instead. The risk of bias in the measurement of outcomes was, as previously explained, substantially high in most studies (moderate risk), with six studies classified as serious risk due to the characteristics of evaluated outcomes (46,50,(52)(53)(54)(55). On the other hand, the risk of bias in the selection of reported results was low.…”

“…Also in this case, the female gender was more prevalent, equal to about 60% of the whole sample. The country with the highest number of articles emerged to be Germany ( 44 – 48 ), followed by Switzerland ( 49 – 51 ), Belgium ( 52 – 54 ), Italy ( 55 , 56 ), France ( 57 , 58 ), and the Czechia ( 59 ). As for studies in adults, the setting description was heterogeneous but the presence of a specialized pediatric department was constant.…”

“…Among exclusion criteria, syndromic and secondary obesity were the most frequently declared ( 44 – 51 , 54 , 58 ). Most of the studies applied a single-arm open-label design ( 44 , 45 , 48 – 55 , 58 , 59 ) with the remaining ones being non-randomized interventions against control or comparable groups ( 46 , 47 , 56 ); only one study was an RCT ( 57 ). The prevailing dietary treatment was a balanced low-calorie diet, although in certain studies an ad libitum buffet approach ( 46 , 57 ) or a normocaloric diet accompanied by physical activity were used ( 53 , 58 ).…”

“…and team sports (football, volleyball, etc.) while muscle strengthening activity was present in fewer studies (45,(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54)(55)(56).…”

Fatigue and Quality of Life in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

“…For the purposes of our study, we used the teen report for patients aged from 13 to 18 years old, the child report for patients aged from 8 to 12 years old, and the young child report for patients aged 7 years old. The “PedsQL-Multidimensional Fatigue Scale” has been already used for the evaluation of fatigue in various pediatric populations, including patients with pediatric obesity, and chronic rheumatoid, neuromuscular, and respiratory diseases [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”