Impact of child weight management pilots was hindered by poor uptake, evaluation finds

Weight management programmes for obese or overweight children may be effective, but their impact has been hampered by low uptake and completion rates, an evaluation of eight pilot projects across England has suggested.1

A report from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities evaluated eight projects funded through a £4.2m government grant in July 2021, which piloted extended brief interventions (EBIs) and expansion of behavioural weight management services for children aged 2 to 19 and their families.

EBIs involve a practitioner discussing a child’s weight and growth with their parent or carer, and can include the use of behaviour change techniques, tailored support, and onward referral to services. Weight management services usually involve 12 week programmes and include diet and physical activity guidance. Their primary aim is weight maintenance and growing into a healthier weight, rather than weight loss.

The pilots were funded for a year and …