A Systematic Review of Adolescent Self-Management and Weight Loss

Introduction The aim of this review is to evaluate self-management interventions among overweight and obese adolescents to direct future research and practice. Methods Studies published between 2008 and 2014 were identified by electronic database searches. The Jadad Scoring of Quality Reports of Randomized Clinical Trials was used to evaluate the quality of the studies with subsequent reviews. Results Out of 69 studies, 10 randomized controlled trials were reviewed after all inclusion and exclusion criteria were met. Quality scores ranged from 7 to 11 out of 13 (M = 9.2, SD = 1.13). For the majority of studies, self-management strategies for weight loss were found to be significant for a mix of behavioral, psychological, anthropometric, and metabolic outcomes. Discussion Findings indicated that interventions were most successful when incorporating family members. Self-management interventions that include a combination of appropriate diet, physical activity, and behavioral strategies with a family component are recommended.