Piloting an Intervention to Address Weight Bias Internalization to Improve Adolescent Weight Management Outcomes

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating an intervention aimed at reducing weight bias internalization WBI and weight stigma among adolescents aged 13 to 17 years who have a body mass index BMI at or above the 95th percentile for their age and sex. The study will examine whether addressing WBI alongside a behavioral weight management program can improve physical and mental health outcomes, including biological stress markers and eating behaviors. This randomized pilot trial compares this combined intervention to a control group receiving general health information plus weight management. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group will receive a 4-week program focused on weight stigma and WBI, followed by a 16-week behavioral weight management intervention that integrates WBI content. The second group will receive 4 weeks of health education on topics unrelated to weight, such as smoking cessation and skin cancer prevention, followed by the same 16-week behavioral weight management program without WBI content. Weekly 75-minute sessions are led by behavioral experts, and caregivers participate in four sessions with their teens. During the 20-week study, participants will attend weekly group sessions and undergo assessments at the start, after 4 weeks, and at the end of the program 20 weeks. These assessments include questionnaires measuring WBI, weight-related teasing, and eating behaviors, as well as biological tests for stress and inflammation markers like cortisol, CRP, and IL-6. Researchers will also track attendance, retention, and intervention acceptability. The study aims to gather data for larger future trials focused on adolescent weight management.

Addressing Weight Bias Internalization to Improve Adolescent Weight Management Outcomes: Randomized Pilot Trial