Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104104

Alexis S. Lieberman, MD¹, Diana Harris, MA¹, and Jessica Robbins, PhD². (1) General Pediatrics/Adolescent Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, 5501 Old York Road, Philadelphia, PA 19141, 2154568774, lieberma@einstein.edu, (2) Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 500 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146

While 75% of the overweight population of an inner city Adolescent Clinic was shown to increase their Body Mass Index (BMI) over a period of 6-24 months regardless of intervention in a chart review of 200 patients, 25% of the population decreased their BMI. Most of those who decreased did not receive any nutritional counseling at all. Possible explanations for the causes of weight loss include readiness for change, holding an attitude of being in control over weight loss, a belief that weight loss is difficult, the absence of food insecurity (the state in which one does not have a reliable source of food), adolescent developmental stage, and family characteristics. Our current study, "Teens Reporting On Eating, Nutrition and Diet" (TREND) is a qualitative, focus-group study exploring the previous study in more depth by examining the differences between those patients whose BMI increased over 6-24 months and those whose BMI decreased over 6-24 months. TREND uses an innovative approach, initially using a systematic chart review, with over-sampling of patients with a decrease in BMI, to identify overweight patients for recruitment into the study. The heads of household are then surveyed using the USDA Household Food Insecurity/ Hunger Module. Approximately 8 focus groups will be held, divided by food insecurity status and by direction of BMI change status (increase or decrease). An improved understanding of the reasons that BMI may decrease in overweight patients will allow the design of evidence-based obesity interventions for overweight, inner-city adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

1.Define overweight and at-risk for overweight using the CDC definition of overweight
• Describe how to identify food secure from food insecure households using the USDA Household Food Insecurity/Hunger Module
• Describe the psycho-emotional and psychosocial underpinnings of overweight and weight loss in an inner-city adolescent population

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.