Evaluation of an approach-avoidance training intervention for children and adolescents with obesity: A randomized placebo-controlled prospective trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 29882616 · doi:10.1002/erv.2607
What was done
A randomized placebo-controlled prospective trial evaluated the efficacy of multisession approach-avoidance training added to standard inpatient treatment in 232 children and adolescents with obesity (aged 8–16 years, 53.9% girls). Participants were randomly assigned to either multisession approach-avoidance training (intervention group) or placebo training (control group). Measured outcomes included post-intervention cognitive biases (approach-avoidance, attention, association), body mass index (weight course), eating behaviour, food intake, self-regulation, and weight-related quality of life, assessed immediately post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-up.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. Modification of approach-avoidance bias occurred but did not transfer across sessions or generalize to attention and association biases. At 6-month follow-up, the intervention group reported significantly less problematic food consumption, higher self-regulation, and higher quality of life compared to controls, but these differences did not persist at 12 months. No significant interaction effects on weight course were observed at any time point.
Why it matters
Adding approach-avoidance bias training to inpatient pediatric obesity treatment may yield transient 6-month improvements in eating-related self-regulation and quality of life, but it does not lead to measurable changes in weight course or long-term clinical benefit.
Limits
The abstract provides no exact quantitative metrics, statistical test values, or confidence intervals. Findings from an inpatient pediatric sample seeking treatment may not generalize to broader outpatient or community populations. Cognitive bias modifications failed to generalize across bias domains, and all observed secondary benefits dissipated by the 12-month follow-up.
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