Changes in appetitive traits and binge-eating following lifestyle intervention in 7–14-year-olds: a 3-year follow-up

Abstract

Lifestyle interventions tend to reduce disordered eating short-term in children, but little is known about long-term changes. This study aimed to investigate changes in appetitive traits and episodes of overeating and binge-eating up to three years after a 10-week multicomponent lifestyle camp in 7-14-year-olds. Participants were referred to the lifestyle camp due to overweight/obesity, and/or psychosocial challenges. The Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) and selected items from the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) were completed at baseline, after camp, and at one- and three-year follow-ups. The majority of participants (mean age 15.4 ± 1.3 years) were living with overweight (30%) or obesity (53%) at the three-year follow-up. Appetitive traits improved with sustained effect; however, the effects attenuated from post-treatment to the three-year follow-up. Compared to baseline (41%), a smaller proportion reported regular binge-eating at the three-year follow-up (14%), and only a small group of children reported new onset overeating and binge-eating during follow-up. In conclusion, the lifestyle camp setting is a safe and effective intervention that improves appetitive traits and reduces binge-eating over a three-year follow-up period. However, continued support may be needed to sustain improvements, and future studies should examine whether addressing disordered eating within childhood obesity treatment enhances long-term outcomes.