Dietary Patterns in Adolescent Obesity as Predictors of Long-Term Success Following an Intensive Inpatient Lifestyle Programme

Abstract

(1) Background: Lifestyle interventions for adolescents with obesity show minor long-term effects on anthropometric parameters. The persistence of dietary changes after obesity inpatient rehabilitation has not been sufficiently investigated.

(2) Objectives: To analyse dietary patterns in German adolescents with obesity as predictors of long-term success following an intensive inpatient lifestyle programme regarding food choices as well as body weight and comorbidities.

(3) Methods: Food consumption data of 137 German adolescents with obesity aged 10-17 years were collected by a nutrition interview. Cluster analysis was used to group the participants according to their food consumption. Dietary patterns, changes in body weight and insulin resistance were compared over a 2-year-period.

(4) Results: Three dietary patterns were identified. Big Eaters (n = 32) consume high amounts of total sugar and meat, Moderate Eaters (n = 66) have a diet comparable to the national average, and Snackers (n = 39) have a particularly high consumption of total sugar. Big Eaters and Snackers significantly reduced the consumption of total sugar. Among Moderate Eaters, no persistent changes were observed.

(5) Conclusion: Weight reduction interventions can induce long-lasting changes in the diet of adolescents with obesity. Therefore, the success of a weight reduction intervention should not be determined by weight reduction only.